Ocean Visions
by silverlineage
Summary: The story of girl meets merman kicks up again after nearly two weeks had passed. New rivals make themselves known. New, intricate abilities awaken, too. Revenge is taken seriously here, but a new island home is now in the making. -Based off of Mermaids: the Body Found guidelines- **Rated M for language and sexual themes** *Direct sequel to Ocean Dreams! Third part coming soon!*
1. Chapter 1

The ocean was calm and peaceful under the waves. Schools of fish flaunted their colors along the reef in their own tightly knit groups. Small crustaceans hid under various overhangs of coral. The occasional octopus even crawled out of the small burrow it made to hunt down nearby prey. Everything was rhythmic. Balanced. Beautiful. It was a perfect form of calm synchronization with another lazy day slowly going by. It was above the waves that was the complete opposite.

"Lotisoo! Keep the center of the raft up! Lisa! Secure the rope around that dolphin! Josh! Move your ass before I have Kina kick it for me!" a blond-haired, blue-eyed man shouted on an island shore. An orange raft was now hauling a rather heavy generator and kept threatening to dip down. The one called Lotisoo was a merman, and he was in charge of keeping the center of the raft from dipping down too much. Other members of his pod were ready to help when he got exhausted.

"We could use Kilnak!" Josh scowled. His skin was already bronzing under the sun, and it seemed to enhance his light-green eyes. "Where is he, Dad?"

"Kilnak is keeping your sister from getting sick. And he's ensuring the island we chose is safe," the father snorted. Another merman swam over and nodded to him.

"Joe! It can take us about ten minutes if we take turns," the merman said.

"Thanks, Kep. How's Nikki doing?" he asked.

"She is doing better. She still feels a little sick, but not too bad. We shaded the beach quite well to the temporary island. There is plenty of fish there, too," Kep nodded. He was still talking slowly, but his words had definitely improved over the past few days.

"Everything else was moved over?"

"Yes. All that is left is this thing. Then the house can be built. How long do you think?" Kep frowned. "We are all curious."

"It could be a few months. Maybe even a year. I'm hoping it will be done by the time Nikki gives birth. Once this island is clear, the crew will come in. Was all the treasure moved? Josh, guide that dolphin! Don't just sit there!" he scowled at his son.

"We will handle the dolphins," Kep said. "You handle your kids."

"I wish I could," he muttered. That got a laugh from the older merman, and he refocused on the raft. On the temporary island chosen, Nichole was trying to organize what was brought over. It took a week of careful planning to choose the right island. After it was fully secured and properly shielded from the harsh sun, everything was slowly brought over.

"Are you all right?" Kilnak asked his wife. She looked over at the merman with her father's deep blue eyes and smiled with a nod. He gestured for her slim form and cuddled her. He pulled her blond hair away from her face to let her get more comfortable. She was very happy that he managed to learn how to speak so flawlessly to her. Other members of the pod were slower, but he learned quickly. It took him a while to lose the high-pitched squeaking, but now he had a bit more of a normal tone with the lower vocals he managed to control. She thought he sounded incredibly smooth and sexy.

"I'm as well as I can be," she said. He had her rest her head on his shoulder.

"I don't like how this island is so exposed," he frowned.

"I know," she sighed. "At least there is some form of shading now."

"I doubt it would hold up to a storm."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"If I did, you know I would have brought it up."

"At least this island has a bit more room than the other one."

"I know it," her husband agreed. The island was once rather sparse and bare. That had changed when poles were purchased with netting to create an overhang. A type of tent-like dome was created with seaweed to be a touch weatherproof, but tarp was used underneath it for waterproofing reinforcement. Kilnak had ensured that the poles going into the wet sand were able to work with the added weight of the seaweed. They were even able to make a form of fold-out doors that could be held down under the water for a bit more privacy. He had done quite a bit of online research to ensure he got the right equipment. Bobby, their one true means to get what they needed done, was able to assist.

"I'm glad we made small rooms," she smiled.

"The humidifier helps," he grinned his lightly fanged grin.

"I'm glad it did help. I'm very glad we tested it with the generator. We'll need to get that over here to get the humidifier working. We were even able to make small tunnels for water, too. There was plenty of room for that. Of course, we had to reinforce the tunnels with a bit of rock to keep them from caving in, but it worked. A bit tricky, though, to get them built. We had to dig down as your family dug up to meet us. The rocks did the job when we were able to use them to hold the walls out. I was a bit worried that it wouldn't work."

"It works well. Definitely gives us a solid reason to have the same thing done in our home."

"We were already talking about that," she nodded. "We'll probably use steel, though. And I need to dry out every now and then, too. I can't stand being like a prune all the time!"

"Don't complain to me about that. You know I have to keep my skin moist. I can't afford to dry out. Like you know, I'm more dolphin based," he grinned and nibbled her neck. "Are you hungry?"

"A little," she muttered, and his mouth caught hers up in a kiss. It was still hard for her to believe that she was married to a merman and pregnant with his kid. And to think it happened almost over a week ago! She was only out in the Caribbean for roughly eight days now. It was supposed to have been for a cruise with her to have a week to herself for scuba lessons. It was a day after her arrival that Kilnak came into her life. Only a day later, after her father came out to help her, did she find out that she was pregnant. Then the rest of her family had to come out. Now her older sister and oldest brother were married into the Merfolk pod, and even her youngest brother, Douglas, was engaged, too. The only family member left single was Annie, her younger sister.

"You're distracted," Kilnak whispered. "Talk to me."

"Just…thinking over everything that happened," she whispered back and cried out at the hard thrust he gave her after the quick yanking aside of her swimsuit bottoms. He had her give herself over to him before he shouted out his release. Then he pulled her close to hold and comfort. She buried her face into the webbing that attached from the base of his neck to the back of his skull. He gave out his soft, musical purr and nuzzled her. The purring did calm her down a touch, but not by much. He didn't like her being upset. That led to stress. It was time to find out what bothered her.

"Like what? Being with me?" he smiled. "Moving too fast?"

"Yeah. And Annie…"

"Don't talk about her," he growled.

"I know, I know…" she sighed. "Just thinking of everything up to this point. That's all."

"Well, there's no need to think about that one."

"And Doug?"

"He at least apologized for the insult he gave us, and Sitari likes him. He still has a ways to go, but he's trying. Stopping the smoking helped. Annie is just a bitch with a spoiled life."

"Kilnak!"

"Don't argue with me!" he smirked. "You know this, too!"

"Josh just had to teach you how to swear…"

"And Annie isn't a nice person, so I can swear out her name whenever I want. Like I told you. I will only use swears to not nice people. She's a fucking monkey with a piece of fruit up her ass."

"That's enough!" Nikki colored up. "Yes, I admit it. My sister has a lot of faults. But she isn't here. That should say enough."

"Agreed," he nodded. "She was taken back to Maryland…oh…two days ago?"

"Yes. With my Mother. Doug is working with Bobby to learn with some of his crew about electronics and ships. We'll need to work on getting various fish species to breed around the new home. I was thinking about something else, too," she smiled.

"Tell me," he chuckled.

"Is it possible to gather up all of the black coral that grows around us to bring to our island?"

"Now…that would be interesting," he mused. "A form of transplanting. We would be protecting it, anyways, and it could be used for fish habitats…"

"And if coral harvesters appear, it would give your family some entertainment."

"You can be so evil!"

"It would give us a way to test the defenses when they get set up."

"I like that."

"I knew you would," she smiled. He kissed her again and looked over at his dolphin companion.

"_Device being brought! There is room?_" he clicked. Kilnak smiled and placed a webbed hand on his friend's forehead in greeting. Nichole had found out that his companion was a male not long ago. She even had her own dolphin companion that was the largest male of the pod, and he was hunting around the island. The moment she was in trouble, he would be quick to appear.

"_Yes. We made room. How far off is it?_" Kilnak asked.

"_Some time. Hard to move! Will get here,_" he chittered back. The dolphin swam off, and Kilnak squeezed his mate. She thought about something and he looked at her.

"I want to learn your language," she said.

"I don't think you can," he chuckled.

"I should still try!" she frowned. He thought and nodded.

"Okay. This is how I say hello," he said. He carefully formed the sound. The sound she made had him stuttering with laughter. Vocal imprints were the key to forming the proper words, and she was off by a milestone. "Um…you just said this…"

"Said what?" she frowned. At his whisper, she blushed a beet red. "I did not!"

"You did," he snickered. "I think I'm quite good at mating you. What do you think?"

"All of that was said with two small sounds?" she blinked.

"Yes. Sound travels far in the water. I'm sure you know that. Long notes and short notes give the desired word structure and sound vocalization. Even the tone can make a completely different word. I honestly think that you wouldn't be able to speak our language unless you were born into it. Let me do the talking. Okay?" he grinned. Then he gaped at her. "Hey!"

"What?" she smirked and shifted him for his back to be against the damp beach sand. "If it's something I said, I had better act on it. Shouldn't I?"

"Bad Nikki…" he growled with a small grin.

"Are you complaining?"  
>"Does it look like I'm complaining?!"<p>

"Then start using it and use it well!" she snickered. He growled at her daring look and did exactly that for the next ten minutes. They were panting against each other when they heard her father hollering at Josh to keep pulling the raft with the dolphin. Kilnak muttered and sighed.

"Let me help them," he grumbled. She pressed a long, deep kiss to his mouth and ignored her brother's calls for help. She was pregnant. She wanted her husband. Only after the kiss finished, did he set her gently on the beach to help them.

"About time!" Josh scowled.

"Nikki is pregnant and needed me. Do you want her to throw up?!" Kilnak glared.

"Be nice!" Kina frowned at Josh. "Nikki need Kilnak!"

"Okay, okay!" Josh winced at his wife. Kina was Kilnak's youngest sister and was a bit protective of Nichole in her vulnerable state. She used to be extremely shy, but being married cut that bit off rather quickly. It surprised her pod, too.

"Was it rough to get here, Joel?" Kilnak asked when he grabbed the lead line from Josh.

"A bit. We almost lost it when a whirlpool happened, but the whole pod was able to lift it. I'm going to need some water, though," Joel sighed. "I've sweat more out there than in a sauna."

"That's fine. How's the yacht?" he asked.

"It's back at our island. Grynkar is watching over it with a few dolphins."

"Good. _Elder, was this the only thing left?_" Kilnak asked Kep.

"_Yes. Joe will contact Bobby to get the other Land Dwellers here. The surface will have a bit of activity. We need to be prepared,_" Kep nodded.

"_Oh! Nikki had a great idea! You know the growing cling rocks that the Land Dwellers harvest? The rare ones? She was thinking that we could bring over any that we find to our surface. We can protect them and use them for future food homes,_" Kilnak chuckled.

"_I like that idea! We'll have to do it when the Land Dweller device is built, though. We can start hiding what we find now in advance._ Joe! Nikki had a good thought," Kep said.

"About what?" Joel asked, as he swallowed down a bottle of water.

"The corals that the harvesters want. The rare ones. We can transplant them around the island for future fish homes," Kilnak grinned. Now Joel's eyes lit up with a smile of approval.

"I think I won't tell Bobby," Joel smirked. "Considering he dabbles in the trade, too…"

"We'll leave small ones behind, but take the largest ones. This way, he'll think that others got to it first," Nichole grinned. She waved at Lisa and Lotisoo when they finally managed to separate from the raft to swim over. Lisa sighed and plopped onto the beach.

"I don't want to do that again!" she frowned.

"May have to when home built," Lotisoo smiled softly. Now she groaned and he hugged her. "It okay, Lisa. We work good! All done now."

"Until we move back!" she mumbled. She looked at her husband and smiled at his grin. She knew he liked to watch her swim, and he made no effort to hide the fact. Then she thought and looked at her sister. "So, Nikki, did your boobs grow yet?"

"Shut up!" Nichole scowled. Kilnak glanced over at Lisa, and Lotisoo even gave her a funny look. When Kilnak looked back at Nikki with a curious gaze, she relented. "No. Not yet. That may not happen until the second or third month."

"I'm just saying that it would be nice to see you start to fill out! You can finally be up to par with me," Lisa shrugged. She had a succubus build like her mother and younger sister. Nichole lacked it.

"I don't want that visual!" Joel groaned.

"Well, I'm worried about you! You might smother the kid if you have one," Nikki grinned.

"That's not funny!" Lisa colored up. She glared at Lotisoo when he started to snicker. Joel was now seeing to the raft to make sure it was undamaged as his way to ignore everything. Kina was in Josh's arms and snuggling into him. One lone mermaid was near them, too, and she sighed to herself. Joel looked over at her and now decided to turn his attention span over to her.

"Would you like me to call Doug for you, Sitari?" Joel asked as he sat down.

"Please?" she smiled. "I miss him."

"I know you do. And how is that wound healing?" he asked.

"Um, easy to move. Still sore," she sighed. He gestured to take a look, and she swam to the beach to lay back for him. When he traced lightly over the healing line that used to be a nasty gash, she winced. As a respected doctor and a surgeon, he was studying how the muscle was closing. He didn't like how it still appeared to be swollen. It was an active muscle, so it was bound to heal slower than usual. She couldn't simply sit down and do nothing. She had to swim to survive.

"Yeah, it needs a bit more time. No heavy swimming?" he asked.

"No," she said. "Small swims only."

"Good. Does it hurt here?" he asked, as he gently pressed two inches out of the wound. At the wince she gave, he frowned hard. "I think we have an infection."

"What?" Kep asked now. The others quickly looked over.

"It bad?" she frowned.

"It can be. As much as I don't want to, I need to do a small puncture to see if anything needs to drain. If there's only blood, then it's just sore muscle. But, if it's something else, it needs to drain. Nikki, I need the suture kit, please. Lisa, get me some fresh water," Joel said. "Actually, I got a few syringes, thanks to Bobby's help. Get me one of those. It will be easier to work with. Ah, grab one from the right, please. Shift them over from the left, but leave the last one where it is."

"Right," Nikki said and got him one after the other needles were shifted as needed. Kep was frowning at this, but if Sitari was still hurting, it clearly wasn't right. Joel grabbed some anesthetic and carefully applied it over the area first to mildly numb it down. Then he used the syringe to draw up some blood. Luckily, there was no infection. It was just sore muscle. With a sigh of relief, he nodded.

"If it was yellow, or milky, that's infection. This is just blood. We're lucky. We'll give it another week, okay? If you still feel that any pain is there, you have to tell me," Joel said. Sitari nodded and he swabbed the puncture mark closed. When he was sure that it was clotted up, he let her swim a bit to soothe the muscle back down. The Merfolk pod was really happy to have found Joel. There was another merman that needed his help with a gashed up tail. The same treatment was done to help him.

"Can't she take something for the pain?" Nichole frowned.

"I'd have to do an injection. Morphine would be best, but like hell can I find that. I wonder if pills would work for her. I'm sure we have some kind of penicillin or Tylenol. Do we even have some form of Advil? It may be easier for her. If I can get ahold of some of the stronger stuff, it would be faster relief. She may need swelling reduction, and it would help with the pain. What do you have, Lisa?" Joel asked. He put away the surgical needle after a quick rinse of alcohol.

As much as he didn't like to reuse needles, he didn't have a choice. He soaked them with alcohol after each use, but it was only two out of the ten he had that were used. He simply made a mental note of which one was used until he could swap them out for fresh ones. It was why he had the other needles shifted over. The ones on the far left of the pack were used ones. It was easier for him to remember.

"I do have some Advil!" Lisa grinned. "Sitari! Take two of these. Don't chew. Just swallow with water, ok? Swallow whole."

"Okay," the mermaid nodded and took the medicine.

"If you feel bad, tell me," Joel said. "Good thing I have another week off of work! Ah, let me call Doug for you, Sitari. Dry your hands and come here."

"Yes!" she beamed. She missed him and readily did what she needed to do to handle the phone. As she talked to Doug, Joel had Josh help him with the generator to get it going. Kilnak had Nichole back in his arms to silently watch the temporary island home get power to get the humidifier working.


	2. Chapter 2

Back in Maryland, Ashley was busy going over some legal documents that she had just typed up for Bobby. She had readily agreed to do some mild work for him in the comfort of her own home. She was in the process of scanning them to him when her thoughts drifted to Annie. She was very worried about her. It was only obvious that Annie was depressed. She had a feeling that she knew why, too. She finished the last scan quickly and went to check on her.

Ever since they got back, Annie was miserable. The house was empty. She was used to hearing constant chatter and footsteps. Now that it was just her and her mother, she felt lonely. She tried to go out to be with her friends, but it wasn't the same. It just seemed that she was forcing herself to have fun. Even her friends noticed this. They tried to help her with some shopping ventures, but it wasn't the same. She wasn't the same carefree girl anymore.

Mitchell, Bobby's youngest son, did try to contact her, but she gave a mild brush off each time. She just said that she was rather busy. In truth, she felt that he wasn't the one for her. When he started to get pushy, she finally blocked off his number. She never blocked off a number in her life. After another day of random phone calls from friends, she turned off her phone. If anyone wanted to reach her, they had to go through her mother. That scared Ashley to death.

"Annie? Sweetheart? Can I come in?" Ashley asked with a soft tap to the door.

"Yeah," was the response. When her mother walked in, she paused at the sight of her daughter. She wasn't wearing makeup. Her hair was in strands. When was the last time she took a shower?!

"Okay. You have to cut this crap out right now!" Ashley growled. "What is wrong with you?!"

"I just…I can't take it! Everything is so different now! I can't do it anymore!" Annie whimpered. "The house is too quiet. My friends can't help me. I just…what am I supposed to do?"

"Well, for starters, take a shower and freshen up. I'm done with the scans. We'll go somewhere nice and talk. Okay? We'll go wherever you want to go."

"All right," Annie swallowed and nodded.

"And give me all of your dirty clothes, too!" her mother smiled. That had Annie smile back with another nod. A good twenty minutes later showed a much better-looking Annie. She gave her daughter a tight hug and sighed. "Okay. Where do you want to go?"

"Can we go to the pier?"

"The pier? Really? I would have thought the mall!"

"No. Just there."

"Okay. Let's go. Help me lock up," Ashley smiled. When Annie left the room, she called her husband. "Joel, Annie is a frightful mess! I was keeping you up to date, but I had to tell her to shower! Just now! And get this. I offered to take her somewhere, and she wants to go to the pier!"

"The pier?" Joel said with surprise. "That's very different."

"I know! Oh! She's coming back. I'll talk to you later," Ashley said quickly and hung up. "Sorry! It was a friend of yours. I told her it was mommy and daughter time. She understands. You could turn your phone back on, you know."

"No. I'll just leave it here. I don't want to talk to anyone right now," Annie smiled.

"Not even your father if he calls you?"

"Oh…" she winced. "If anyone else calls…"

"I'll answer for you. Give me your phone, okay?" Ashley smiled. "And you never did tell me why you stopped talking to Mitchell! He seemed like such a sweet guy."

"Mom…he kept calling me constantly. He wouldn't stop. I felt really bothered by it. I didn't want to say anything, but I kept the calls he made to my phone so you could see how much he called," she frowned. Now Ashley narrowed her eyes and checked the phone log. She made a call to her husband.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I found out why Annie blocked off Mitchell. He's been calling her nonstop!"

"What?" the response was a form of rage.

"Yes! He even called her in the middle of the night!"

"I'm calling Bobby. Thanks."

"Okay!" Ashley smiled and hung up the phone. "Your father will talk to Bobby about Mitchell. Let's go to the pier. Anything you wanted to do?"

"Do you think we can go fishing?" Annie asked.

"What?" Ashley paused with surprise.

"I just…want to see if I can. And…maybe if I catch something…I could cook it…?"

"Why do you want to do this?"

"I feel that…I don't belong with anyone here. I honestly don't. And…I feel bad about what I did to Nikki. I know…that…what I did was wrong…"

"Okay. Where is Annie? Where did she go?"

"I've been thinking about it a lot," Annie admitted. "Ever since we got home. And if all I have to do is hunt, cook and swim…well…"

"You want to try being with Kilnak's family?" Ashley asked gently.

"I think I do…" she trembled as the tears fell. "But…not because of Nikki. Or Lisa. Or the others. I just…I think…"

"Easy, honey. Baby steps," Ashley smiled. "Didn't you promise me a big wedding?"

"Would you…feel bad if it…it didn't happen?" she hiccupped.

"As long as you're happy, honey. But, why now?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I just feel that I need another chance to try. I know that I've done so much harm to everyone. That everyone tells me to grow up…"

"You might break your nails."

"Nails can grow back. It's easy to keep them nice with a nail file. I've painted them on my own, too. It really isn't that hard to do…"

"The trophies in your room don't make you happy anymore?"

"Mom, they're just plastic with cheap rhinestones. That's all they ever were."

Ashley's jaw dropped. Her daughter didn't care about the beauty pageant trophies she won. Those were her pride and joy! And now they mean nothing?! "I see…"

"As much as I want to gaze at them like I always did…they don't do anything for me anymore. My friends seem phony now, too. Like they only like me because I have money. I didn't even see it before! When Bethany took me shopping the other day, just yesterday, in fact, she wanted me to buy her something. It was really expensive, too. Normally, I'd do it without a second thought. But, then I asked why she couldn't get it. She said that I never had a problem with it before. I…did end up getting it for her. I never felt so bullied by her before. And I just…I feel used by them now. I didn't realize that they all did this to me…"

"I see," Ashley now said with stern tone. She didn't know that her daughter was being used like that. There wasn't much that she could do about the purchased item now, but she didn't want her daughter to spend another dime on those so-called friends! When Annie's phone rang, it was a friend of hers. Ashley was quick to answer it. "Hello? Hi, Bethany! No, I'm her mother. She's not feeling well. Oh, well, I'm sorry. She doesn't want to go to the mall anymore, so someone else will have to buy you things now. My daughter is no longer friends with you, since all you do is use her for her money. Get a boyfriend! They're known to buy things for girls all the time! Good-bye. There! Done!"

"Mom!" Annie said with a wide-eyed look.

"What? I don't want some other girl swindling you anymore! Joel would agree with me! I should sue her for the trauma she put you through. No matter! She'll get what she deserves in the end," Ashley snorted. "Let's go to the pier. Maybe we'll catch something!"

"I can't believe you just said that to Bethany. She'll tell the others and…"

"And if they call your phone, I'll answer it," Ashley giggled with a small grin.

"Can Dad just change my number?" she finally asked.

"You know what? That's an awesome idea! I'll let you talk to him while we drive in the car," Ashley grinned even more. Annie smiled and felt as though a massive weight was finally lifted from her shoulders. As they walked to the car, Ashley had already called Joel and a new number was assigned to the phone as they drove. Only family would get the new number now, and a bunch of numbers were neatly removed. A good portion of them were from the girls that used Annie. Quite a few numbers were from girls that she lost touch with, so they weren't needed, anyways. When Ashley's phone rang, she answered it with her headset. "Hello? Oh! I'm sorry, Sarah, my daughter's number changed. No, she wanted it to be done. It was her idea. Why? She doesn't want to hang out with you anymore. Well, how many things did you have her buy you? Nothing? No answer? Why the hesitation? If you aren't going to answer me, then don't call my phone anymore. Good-bye."

"Sorry, Mom," Annie frowned.

"Nope, it's all good! If they keep bothering me, I have their numbers now. I can see about talking to their parents," she grinned wickedly. All throughout the twenty minute ride, she gleefully answered her phone to tell each spoiled girl to back off. When one tried to get snotty, she threatened to contact the parents. That shut the girl up, and she got hung up on. "That one was rude!"

"That was likely Anna-Marie," Annie winced.

"And you were friends with her?"

"I liked being popular…"

"They liked you because your parents are rich. They can go hound someone else. Ah! Here's our exit," Ashley smiled and turned off the freeway. When her phone rang again, she answered it happily. "Hello, Joel! Oh, just telling every single one of Annie's hoodlum friends to scram and beat it! Of course, I'm having fun! No, don't change my number! Let them keep at it. They'll rack up the phone bill and have to answer to their parents. Then, when the parents call my number out of curiosity, I'll tell them what's up. Exactly, dear. Nope! No nasty text messages yet. I would never delete those! I like having proof for parents! Anyways, we're approaching the pier now. Okay! Talk to you soon!"

"You have too much fun," Annie smiled.

"As long as I see you smiling and happy, then it's worth it to me," Ashley smiled back. They parked the car and went to a fishing rental booth. The bait seller showed them how to hook the lines and how to reel in the fish. Near the end of the day, they caught a few good sized bluegill. It was enough to let them cook up a good dinner. They took the four fish to the bait seller, and he showed them how to filet and prep the fish. He kept various parts for bait, and the fishing rods were returned. With fresh fillets in a chilled cooler, they made their way back.

"I can't believe I caught a one pound fish!" Annie squealed. "And with a salmon egg!"

"Bluegill are always the easiest to catch. We spent a good two hours fishing. It's fun, isn't it?" Ashley grinned. "You couldn't sit still for five seconds when you were younger."

"I…didn't know what I was missing out on…" she blushed.

"We'll pull up a good online recipe. Actually, Annie, you can do that on my phone, and we'll hit the store for ingredients," Ashley smiled.

"Okay!" Annie nodded. A rather popular baked fish with lemon recipe was found. The store was visited for the proper seasonings, and the ride home was rather smooth. When they got in the door, it was a trip to the kitchen. Thirty minutes later, they were enjoying a wonderful home-cooked meal.

"What do you think?" Ashley asked as she pulled out a stray fish bone.

"Can we do this again?" Annie smiled.

"As many times as you want when I have nothing to do," Ashley promised. When her phone rang, it was an unidentified number. "Hello? Oh! You're Bethany's mother? I see. I didn't threaten her. My daughter was being bullied by yours after all this time. Simple. She was paying for all of your daughter's purchases. Yes. I looked at the credit card receipts. When my daughter finally said no, she was put on a guilt trip. Now you see how your daughter was getting so much with no money. She said they were on clearance? I can send you copies of my daughter's past spending. Oh? Of course! Do whatever you feel the need to do, as always. We are the mothers! Nice talking to you!"

"Her mother called you?" Annie frowned.

"Bethany said that I 'bullied' her. I still have all of your credit card reports, too. I wondered why they started to get so high, but I didn't question it. I always saw you come home with clothing. I should have checked the tags! Ah, well. It's done now," she nodded.

"Does Dad plan to sell this house?"

"No. He wants to keep it. He loves this house!"

"Okay. I think I may want to box up a lot of my room and put the boxes in the garage. There's a lot of stuff that I don't want to see anymore."

"That's up to you, dear. Do whatever you think you have to in order to feel better," Ashley smiled. They hugged tightly, and Annie went into her room. When Ashley's phone went off with a nasty text message from Bethany, she happily called up her mother. "Hello! We just spoke. Your daughter just sent me this awesome text message! Would you like me to forward it to you? Just a moment!"

On hanging up the phone, the threatening text was now sent to the mother. She could almost hear the scathing tone the girl was going to have to put up with. Oh, well!


	3. Chapter 3

Right before Joel was ready to leave on the yacht for the mainland, he had called Kep over. He needed to tell him about Annie. When the merman swam over, the situation was relayed.

"Annie is acting different?" Kep mused. "Why?"

"I think being in an empty house did it. That and she realized her 'friends' were only using her for my money," Joel growled. "I think the slap Lisa gave her finally opened her eyes."

"Should slap her more?" Kep grinned. That got Joel running a palm over his face and laughing.

"I think you're onto something," he admitted. "Bobby's son, Mitchell, is more of a nuisance than a help right now. Bobby told me that his son was only worried about Annie. I know he's telling the truth, but that guy needs to back off. I did find it amazing that Annie caught and cooked her first fish."

"She can hunt and cook now?" Kep blinked.

"She may start swimming, too," Joel nodded.

"Do you live close to the water?" the older merman asked.

"Yeah. About ten miles off. Why do you ask?"

"Show me a map."

"Okay," he said and pulled out his phone. Kep looked over the map of Maryland as the section was focused in on. The older merman was deep in thought now.

"Maybe we can have one meet her there. I need to see if any of my pod are willing to go. Stay here," Kep said and swam under the water. Joel sighed and went down to the galley to get something to drink. As he enjoyed a beer, Kep was talking to Kilnak's sire.

"_Hmm. I think he might be ready. He is close to claiming a mate. Why should we send him?_" Kilnak's sire asked. "_And wasn't Annie the bad one?_"

"_She is changing now. She can hunt and make food. She is starting to learn. So, I think she should have another chance,_" Kep smiled. "_She may even start swimming more._"

"_Do we tell Kilnak?_"

"_No._"

"_I see why,_" Kilnak's sire grinned. "_If Annie gets a mate, then she will be safe._"

"_Yes. We don't want to stress out Nikki. She is finally eating like she needs to. She looks much better. We don't want her to relapse. There is only one problem. Annie is back in her original Land Dweller territory. We would need to send your offspring there. We don't want him to think he is a Lone Wanderer. Where is Tessoo? Is he still here?_" Kep asked. "_I know you have another offspring that is ready for a mate, but I think Tessoo will work best for this. It's a good feeling I have. Is he around?_"

"_I think he is. Let me call for him,_" Kilnak's sire nodded. The call was sent, and the youthful merman came over. Like Kilnak, he was lean and strong, but had a touch more of his matriarch's facial features than his sire's. It added a slightly pretty look to him, but the features faded out when he got angered. Then his sire's temper and looks came to him fully.

"_I'm here! Is something wrong?_" he asked.

"_You need to test a Land Dweller. The one known as Annie. We know she was bad, but she appears to be changing. You need to swim to where she is and study her. You can do this. We don't want Kilnak to know. We are not sending you away as a Lone Wanderer. Think of this as a scouting mission. You are to come back to us when it's done. Joe has a drawing for us?_" Kilnak's sire asked.

"_Yes. Come with me. Both of you,_" Kep nodded.

"_Why can't Kilnak know? Can others know?_" Tessoo asked.

"_In time. Right now, none can know. We don't want Nikki to have stress. We also don't want Kilnak to get mad. If he gets mad, she gets stressed. It can be the other way around, too. _Joe! You still here?! I brought another to meet you!" Kep shouted.

"I'm coming!" Joel said and was soon seen leaning over the rail. "Hello! I remember seeing you. What's your name? And who are you related to?"

"I am Tessoo," he said carefully to sound right. He had been practicing with Lisa's help.

"My son," Kilnak's sire nodded.

"Okay. Ah, I don't think I ever got your name," Joel smiled.

"Oh! Um, I called Soosnik," Kilnak's sire chuckled. He never did give out his name. It was never asked for. "Mirn is, um, wife."

"Thank you," Joel nodded respectfully. "Now, Tessoo, Annie was the one that made Nikki feel bad. You know this, right?"

"Yes," the younger merman nodded. "Um…better now?"

"She's trying. If you think you can help her, I don't mind. I know that Kep wants to send you to find her. I don't think you should go alone. You should take help with you. The place she is at now is crowded. Harder to see her alone. Hmm. Actually, let me see if Ashley can send her back out here. Then I can pick her up and let her meet you where it's safer. I don't want you discovered."

Kep was translating everything, and even he was much better with the situation. No one wanted to be discovered. Joel took out his phone and called his wife.

"Hi, honey!" Ashley said cheerfully.

"Hun, I need you to book Annie a ticket to come back out here. If you want to come back out, too, you can," Joel said calmly. "Kep wants to look at Annie again."

"Really?! I mean, if you think so," Ashley giggled.

"I know so. Anything else happen lately?"

"Oh, Bethany sent me a lovely text message and I sent it to her mother. That made me feel so warm and gooey inside! I could almost hear the punishing words of terror!"

"You scare me sometimes."

"Oh, please!"

"And I want that text."

"You'll see it when I get out there."

"Fine. Try and book the next flight out. It's about mid-day, but that's fine. Hopefully you can book a flight for tonight or tomorrow morning. Do that now."

"Does Kilnak know anything?"

"Ah, Kep! Do we tell Kilnak anything?"

"No," the older merman said sternly with a shake of his head. "He may get mad. Nikki does not need stress. It could hurt the baby. It has to be a secret for now."

"You heard him, honey," Joel chuckled.

"Okay," Ashley nodded. "I'll book a flight for two! I'll send you any information I get."

"Good. Love you."

"Love you, too!" Ashley giggled and the connection was dropped. Joel sighed and was only too glad that he had a few spare black pearls on him. Then he realized that he needed to see if the jeweler, Josue, was able to get the clasps he needed for Nikki's two pearls. The three inch round pearl and the smaller two inch pearl needed clasps of gold and diamonds to keep them loose. Cage-like settings were made, and he needed to see if they were done. That meant a call to Bobby. He didn't know if he should mention the possible betrothal of Annie to a merman. Something told him that it wouldn't be wise. He'll wait until everything was already done.

"All right. I'm going to head back to the mainland. I may bring Doug out to see Sitari. Call me if anything happens," Joel said.

"We will," Kep nodded. Joel nodded and Grynkar had already removed the seaweed from the bottom of the yacht. Several dolphins escorted him back to the mainland. Tessoo was deep in thought about everything. Why was he picked to take a look at a Land Dweller? As much as he wanted to talk to someone, he knew that it could be problematic. His sire was right. He had to keep it secret.

Back on the temporary island, Nikki was enjoying some pan-seared lionfish. Kilnak was helping her share the tasty dish. As much as Tessoo wanted to eat some, too, he kept getting the feeling that he had to reach Annie. That he needed to see her. Whenever he got strong feelings like this, he knew it was important. It was rather rare that he got such feelings. He was told that Kilnak would get mad if any talk about Annie was done. He knew it was true. How was he supposed to see her? Kilnak was acting more and more like a true leader. He also felt that Kilnak needed to know of Annie now. That it couldn't be a secret. He now had an idea of how to bring it about.

"_Kilnak,_" Tessoo said as he swam over.

"_Tessoo? What is it?_" Kilnak asked. Nichole smiled and nodded to the younger merman and got a nod back. "_Is something wrong?_"

"_I want to hunt for a bit._"

"_Why are you telling me? Just let Sire and Matriarch know. What more is there to say?_"

"_I know. You're just acting more and more like a pod leader now. That's all._"

"_I am? Well, I am the oldest offspring. Um…where do you plan to hunt?_"

"_In the deeper waters._"

"_I don't think you're ready for that. Even I had to wait. And if you go alone, it won't be safe. Does Elder know? Or Sire?_" Kilnak asked. There was something odd going on. He could feel it. It was what Tessoo planned on, and he was actually letting Kilnak get that vibe. He let the feeling spread to those that would notice it and bring it to attention.

"_Tessoo! Why are you bothering Kilnak?!_" their sire asked when he swam over.

"_I just wanted to see if I could go hunting…_" Tessoo frowned.

"_Joe will bring us back food. There is no need for you to hunt._"

"_I think it's important that I do,_" he admitted.

"_What is going on?_" Kilnak muttered. Kep looked over now and rolled his eyes. Tessoo just had to talk to him?! There was no other option now.

"Kilnak?" Nichole frowned. Lotisoo looked over with Kina and Josh. Lisa glanced over mildly from where she was cooking. Tessoo's plan worked. The situation had to be brought to light. Kep held up his webbed hands for attention.

"Annie has changed. She is cooking and hunting. Ashley was with her. She feels bad. I want Tessoo to meet her," Kep said. Kilnak took on a look of rage, but calmed at his mate's touch to his shoulder. "We did not want to say much. Tessoo should have said nothing."

"I want meet her," Tessoo frowned. "I feel…um…needed. Much needed."

"You think something bad may happen if you don't?" Nichole asked.

"Yes. Soon," Tessoo nodded. "Bad feel."

"Hmm," Kilnak thought. His brother never lied about stuff like this before. Now he realized why Tessoo had to bring all of this up. "Okay. Annie gets one chance to redeem herself. Tessoo has a way to tell if something is good or bad. Annie is in Maryland. That's a long ways away. Four hour flight. If she can get here soon, then it may be okay. If she leaves later, maybe Tessoo can swim to her. But, I don't want him to go alone."

"Joe knows," Kep nodded. "He talked to Ashley. They plan to fly out soon."

"Maryland is full of tourists. He'll be seen," Josh frowned. "Nikki, you may as well call Dad and let him know that we know what's going on."

"Right," she nodded. She called her father and said, "Hey, Dad. Um, Tessoo spilled the beans on what's going on. No, no one is mad. Tessoo feels that he has to get to Annie quickly. He thinks that something bad might happen if he doesn't. Yeah. Okay. Ah, hmm. Kilnak? Can Dad use some of the funds to rent a private jet for the trip?"

"If we have the funds, then do it," Kilnak nodded. "If not, see if he can pull some strings."

"You got the okay! Awesome! Bye!" she chuckled. "He'll probably recruit Bobby."

"That's fine. If he does, I want to know. Actually, maybe it will be faster with Bobby. I'll even sweeten the deal a little by giving over a treasure ring. That should work even better. He may just take the treasure, and we won't have to have Joel purchase tickets," Kilnak grinned. His pod were avid treasure hunters and always kept some extra coin and jewelry hidden away.

"Dad!" Nichole said when she called him again. "If you get Bobby to help, Kilnak will give over a treasure ring. If he agrees, we won't need tickets. Yep! Bye!"

"That will definitely get Bobby's help," Josh chuckled. "I still have the coin I found, but I'm keeping that. I'll never give that up."

"Good," Kina smiled and cuddled him. The humidifier was already making the air into the sauna it needed to be. If it got to be too much, all they had to do was move to another shady area of the island that was made to be a touch cooler. To pass the rest of the time, they discussed what they wanted the house to have built into it and around it.


	4. Chapter 4

On the mainland, Bobby Sterling was reclining in his plush leather chair and musing over the events that happened to now. A disobedient employee was removed. His equal in rank was properly disposed of, too. His wife had finally come to terms with what he did, though she still wasn't happy with him. She didn't say no to the gifts of treasure, though. That did make things a touch easier for her to get by. A nice lobster dinner also helped with that!

He combed his graying hair to the side neatly and went over a bit more paperwork. He was a bit disappointed with Mitchell. He was, actually, very disappointed with him. He botched a chance to be with Annie by scaring her and making her feel awkward. He didn't think it could be fixed. As much as he told his son not to come back out, the plans were already being made. Mitchell wanted to try and prove his worth to his father again. The phone call only stated so much, despite the arguing he did. It would take a good day for him to appear, though. On the call he got from Joel next, it made him pause briefly. Why was Joel calling him now?

"Hey, Joel! You need my help? My private jet? For Annie and Ashley? Really? Well, if Kilnak is giving me more treasure, how can I say 'no' to that?" he chuckled. "Okay, you got a deal. Why are they coming back out? I thought Annie was in trouble. Really? She's lonely? Huh. I wish Mitchell didn't pull the shit he did. No, no, it's fine. He's back in school right now. And how can Annie be lonely? What happened to her friends? What?! Are you shitting me? They were using her for money?! Wow. I can see why she would feel that way. Okay. I may have some work for Ashley, too, if she gets here. I have some filing that can be sorted. When can the jet leave? Haha! I can't go anywhere, but I can arrange for it to leave in the next twenty minutes. I'll get the pilot on the phone and in the air now."

He felt that there was something more to Annie if she was being brought back out. However, he knew better than to question it. He'd get the answers soon. He was getting treasure out of it, and all he could hope for was that he could pick which ring he got. Chuckling softly, he called up his pilot to have him get to the airport. Bobby had too much to do right now, or he would have been joining them.

Josue had agreed to send him a shipment of pearls to be examined by the 'specialists' that caught the fake pearls in his last batch. He was also working on Kilnak's possible trident. The weapon needed to be light-weight for water use, and that meant it needed to be hollow. Solid gold would be too heavy, and it would dent easily. If it was hollow, it would be even worse. He may have to see about a tube of coral being sent up for weight options. He was sure it would be easy to get.

As he started to go over the list of calls he had to make, Joel was talking to Ashley on the phone.

"Hey, honey. Bobby is sending over a private jet to the airport to get you two, so don't worry about tickets. Pack up now and get there now. Actually, you'll have four hours, if that. You have time. Well, Kilnak offered him treasure. Yes, we knew he would agree when treasure is offered. Why so fast? Ah, the merman that wants to meet with Annie feels that it needs to be done quickly. He was going to swim to Maryland, but he might be seen. Yeah. Kilnak was talked to by him. And this is his younger brother. Another nasty text was sent? A different girl? Were her parents contacted? Good. I think I'm going to change your number. Why not?! Fine. You're a very sadistic woman when you want to be! I'll see you soon. Love you, too," Joel chuckled. His wife was a very scary woman when the opportunity presented itself. Then he thought and called up his daughter to fill her in.

"Hello?" Nichole answered her phone.

"Hey, hun. Bobby agreed to pick up your mother and Annie. He's sending a jet over right now."

"Okay. I really hope Tessoo knows what he's doing," she said.

"As long as Kilnak is okay with it," Joel agreed.

"Very true!" she chuckled. "I guess you'll be bringing Doug back with them?"

"It's very likely. At least I can live on the yacht now. It makes it easier than the hotel."

"Tell me about it! Is everything else all right?"

"I think so. I'll call you when I get there."

"Okay. Oh! Tessoo wants to talk to you!" she said as the phone was transferred.

"Joe? Um…be careful," he said.

"Why do you say that?" Joel asked now.

"Bad feel. Um…no leave boat. Okay? If do, bad feel," Tessoo said. Kilnak took over the phone call to help explain his brother a bit.

"Tessoo has the ability for mild premonitions. Like the dolphins, he can help foresee various things. If he says he has a bad feeling about something, trust it. He tends to keep to himself because of this. I think, because of Annie possibly coming into his life, he's trying to reach out. Much like Kina losing her shyness for Josh. So, if he says don't leave the yacht, I wouldn't leave it. How are you on supplies? Do you have enough?" Kilnak asked.

"I have enough for three days," Joel said.

"Good. Hold on. _Tessoo, do you only have the bad feeling for today?_" Kilnak asked his brother.

"_Until Annie reaches me. He should not go on any surface until she is safe with me. I'm sure he would be okay, but I wouldn't chance it right now. He can settle the device near the surface as long as he doesn't leave it. I'd have him not even be near it. Only when Annie and her matriarch appear would it be okay,_" Tessoo said. "_It's just this…bad feeling I have. A worry._"

"Don't leave the yacht or dock it. Not until Annie and Ashley are with you. Linger in the ocean, if you can. The dolphins won't leave you. Ah, Grynkar and my Aunt just left with a number of the pod to help you out. They are taking this as a warning. They aren't taking any chances. Everything could be okay. It could just be Tessoo overreacting to something. But, let's just play it safe," Kilnak said.

"If they just left, I'll stay put," Joel said grimly. "I have water and sandwiches. And beer. I'll live. When Ashley tells me that she's about to get into the air, I'll bide my time until she lands."

"You could come back to us," Kilnak said.

"You know what? I can do that. I'll call up Josue, while I'm at it, and check on your jewelry."

"That can work," the merman chuckled. When the call disconnected, Joel started to turn the yacht around. The dolphin pod was confused, but they heard the relayed message in the water from the approaching Merfolk couple. They agreed to the warning. It was just as well. There was a small raiding party of police officials searching the yachts for evidence of possible drug runners. The yacht, Little Star, was supposed to have been one of them. Joel would have been arrested and questioned if he arrived.

Bobby was able to prove his own innocence by showing them the legal documents of boats he sold and built in the past month. Little Star was special and not on the recordings. Right after the officials left, he got on a pre-paid phone for emergencies like this and called up Joel. "Hey. How far are you from the mainland?"

"Nowhere near it. I got called back to the island," Joel said.

"Good. You would have been arrested and questioned for my, eh, business. I'm calling you on a pre-paid phone. Harder to track that way," Bobby sighed.

"Are you serious?! Okay. Kilnak's younger brother told me he had a bad feeling if I went to the mainland. He said that everything should be okay when Annie comes in. I need to know when she's in the air and when she's about an hour out from landing so I can get her."

"I'll definitely let you know," Bobby agreed. "And Kilnak's brother was able to see the future?"

"Not really see it. Small premonitions. Dolphins can do that, too."

"Huh! Think he could help me with some business ventures?"

"That's up to him. But, I need to see if the jewelry pieces for Nikki are done."

"I wouldn't call Josue right now. When Annie gets in with Ashley, I'll see about that."

"It's a done deal," Joel agreed. After ten minutes, he was back at the temporary island and telling the others of what happened. Nichole was stunned.

"A raiding party?" Kilnak frowned.

"Yes. Surprise checks for illegal activity. Little Star would have been confiscated. She was designed to be used for illegal stuff. Tessoo, thank you for stopping me."

"Good," Tessoo nodded. "Annie okay?"

"She's going to be picked up soon and brought here," Joel nodded.

"Okay. Um…" Tessoo frowned and looked at Kilnak. "_She can't leave her device unless her matriarch is with her. It's important._"

"If Annie decides to go anywhere, Ashley needs to be with her," Kilnak said.

"Done," Joel said. "Anyways, I'm getting hungry. Is there anything to eat?"

"Yeah," Lisa smiled and started to cook up some fish. As they had a late lunch, Tessoo was still worried. He could only hope that nothing bad was going to happen. It was all he could do.


	5. Chapter 5

Doug was busy studying some electrical wiring when he was approached by Bobby. He was informed of what was going on, and his thoughts went quickly to Sitari. Luckily, he was in a back room taking apart several components to put back together when the raid happened. He missed the whole thing and wasn't even spotted. On learning what was going on, he abandoned all thoughts of studying.

"When Mom and Annie get here, I'm going with them," Doug said.

"I know. That was already agreed on. The jet left just a few minutes ago. Just hang back here and stay out of sight. If you need something to eat, I'll have something delivered," Bobby nodded.

"Fine," Doug nodded. He called up his sister. "Hey, Nikki! I'm okay. I was in a back room the whole time. How's Sitari? Is she okay?"

"Ask her yourself!" Nichole chuckled and passed the phone over.

"Doug! You safe?" Sitari asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I'll come out with Mom and Annie when they get here, okay? Are you healing well? Are you still sore?"

"Yes. Um, Joe said more time. Need more. I stay safe," she said softly.

"I'll stay safe, too," he agreed. "Ah, Sitari?"

"Yes, Doug?"

"How would you feel if…um…I gave you a pearl when I saw you?"

"Doug! I still heal! You need better, too!"

"But…would you accept it?"

"Doug…" Sitari actually found herself blushing. "Yes."

"Hmm. How did my Dad get to you guys before? To see Nikki?"

"He swim. With, ah, dolphin."

"That's right, huh? I think I need to swim, too. It'll be rough, but I can do it now. I think."

"No. You wait," she said.

"If I can swim, then I'll swim," he chuckled. "Have a dolphin help me."

"Doug!"

"Sitari, I miss you. You miss me, too. If you can see me sooner, what do you think I would do to see you?" Doug asked now. "I changed my life for you. If you are in danger, I worry."

"I no danger," she sighed. Kilnak now took over the call.

"Doug, why are you pissing off my cousin?" he mused.

"I want to get out there to give her a pearl. She said she would accept it. I was going to wait for Mom, anyways, but I want to be out there now. With all the shit happening here, I don't want to be around if something does go down. You know? Besides, the building crew will be out there tomorrow. I want to be at that island before them to figure out how they can get in."

"I see. How do you plan to get here?"

"How fast can a dolphin reach me?" Doug asked. Kilnak died laughing and had to relay the conversation in small pieces. Joel grabbed the phone.

"I doubt you'll survive, but we'll find out, won't we?" Joel sighed. "It's rough. Just grab a dorsal fin and don't let go. We just dispatched a few of them. Wait about thirty minutes. They can reach a decent top speed in that time. There might be a couple waiting around the mainland, actually. You could try to swim out. Just head west from where you are."

"I'll do that now. I'm wearing clothes that I don't care for," Doug said.

"Oh. You still have a waterproof pouch?"

"Yep! Phone will go in it with the wallet!"

"Good. Don't be an idiot. Let Bobby know so he doesn't bitch at me about where you are. If you can wait thirty minutes, then wait thirty minutes. You could use the extra dolphin support."

"Right," Doug agreed. The phone was in a waterproof casing, but it was just a safety guard if the pouch failed. So far, none of them failed. He walked into Bobby's office with a wave. "I'm going swimming. Dad thinks it would be good for me."

"Oh? Okay. I would suggest that you swim off the pier on the east side. Swim under the dock and try to stick below the waves. Are you getting help?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah. I was told to wait thirty minutes. I'd grab a sandwich, but I'll wait."

"Well, it would be thirty minutes after you ate," Bobby chuckled. "I can order something."

"Nah. I don't want you to draw attention to yourself. I'm good."

"If you say so. Just stay in the back room until you're ready," Bobby nodded.

"Right," he nodded back. As he started to walk back, his phone went off in the pouch. He answered it quickly. "Hello?"

"Swim now," Kilnak said calmly. Then he hung up. Doug blinked at the sudden message. Something must be up. Putting the phone away, Doug walked back into the office.

"I need to swim now. Kilnak told me to. I'll catch ya later," Doug said.

"Hmm. Yeah. Go ahead. East side of the pier, like I said," Bobby said as he eyed he ringing phone. It was the authorities again. Doug was out the door after that. He climbed down the ladder on the east side of the pier as instructed. Just as he started to swim under the dock, he heard a clamoring of footsteps above him. He blinked at that. Something must have happened. And Kilnak knew?! Something odd was definitely going on.

He swam down under the waves and pushed off the last pillar into the open water. A dolphin had suddenly appeared under him to let him grab a dorsal fin. A dolphin was waiting for him?! He didn't know that a dolphin companion was already assigned to him. Now he just held on as the dolphin lightly breached to let him get some air before diving back down. All he had to do was hold on for the ride. Now he realized what his father told him. It was easier said than done.

"If Doug is smart now, he'd be in the water already," Kilnak said.

"I think he would be with everything going on. Why would the authorities be notified? Did someone snitch?" Joel asked. "That would be the last thing we need!"

"No," Tessoo frowned. "Um…boat found. Ah…"

"Wait," Joel said. "One of Bobby's boats was discovered?"

"Yes," Tessoo nodded.

"How do you know this?" Josh asked.

"I feel. I know," Tessoo shrugged. "Need Annie here. Safe here."

"Would have been better off with Bobby's helicopter," Joel sighed. "But if he's getting interrogated about stuff, I'm worried. And I can't go to the mainland right now if he's in trouble."

"Tessoo?" Kilnak frowned at his brother's grimace.

"I swim now," he muttered and swam off. Kep looked over at Grynkar and nodded. The scout was quick to follow his nephew.

"_Tessoo! What is your plan?!_" Grynkar asked when he easily caught up.

"_I need to get to Annie. I can't wait any longer!_" he growled.

"_Then I will join you,_" Grynkar said. "_Let me scout ahead for you._"

"_We help!_" a dolphin keeled and swam past them. Five dolphins had agreed to assist. Grynkar swam ahead of them and made them pause. He had a sudden thought that he had to express.

"_What do we do about her matriarch? We know that neither may be able to swim as well as we can. They can suffer if we are not careful! Also, they will be swimming a much greater distance. I understand that you need to get to the Land Dweller, but remember. You need to be patient about such things. She is too far away right now,_" Grynkar frowned. "_I will accompany you wherever you go, but you cannot have the Land Dweller swim with us. Think about this!_"

"_Hmm,_" Tessoo thought. "_I know. I just…need to make sure she is safe. Every time I wait too long, I miss a chance to fix something. As long as Annie gets here no later than the next bright circle cycle. I can only wait until then._"

"_Why does this Land Dweller interest you so greatly?_" he asked as they started to swim back.

"_There is something about her that reminds me of myself. I was not always kind, too. Also…I always believed that everyone deserves a second chance. Doug insulted us greatly, but Sitari trusted him. Lotisoo was interested in Annie, but got interested in Lisa when Annie showed how mean she was. Now that Annie is changing, I want to help her change more,_" Tessoo explained. "_At first, I was confused as to why I was asked to see her. Now that I think about it, it makes sense to me. I will be good for her._"

"_I see. But, you need to let her get closer to us first. A device has been sent to help. You know this. If we swim out there, she may already be gone. We would be wasting time. How about this. I will help you hunt and gather food for her. We can do that. Will this work?_"

"_I…yes. That will work,_" Tessoo nodded.

"_Come with me to the others. We will tell them of this decision so they don't worry,_" Grynkar smiled. The dolphins sped back, but two went towards Maryland. They understood why Tessoo was worried. They would wait there to see if anything happened. When Tessoo worried about something, they knew that something was wrong. There was much that was going on now. Grynkar saw the dolphins leave, but he was fine with it. No one would question dolphins. Maybe being too close to un-native waters, but they understood dolphin-kind. They wouldn't understand the Merfolk.

Grynkar knew that they would either ensure that all was well, return when a certain amount of time had passed or report back with urgent news. He felt that all would be well. As it was, when he got back, Joel was talking to Annie over the phone.

"_You both came back?_" Kep frowned.

"_Two of the Fin Folk left for where the Land Dweller lived. I saw them leave. Tessoo wanted to have Annie come here, but he forgot about her matriarch. That and they were too far away. The swim would hurt them. The Fin Folk will assist when they can,_" Grynkar sighed.

"_I hope that nothing bad will happen to Annie. So far, Tessoo has been right on various things. It is…uncanny at best,_" Kep muttered. "_Something in him must have changed. I think it's his desire to help another. He was right with Doug needing to swim. He was right with Joe not going to the main surface. I really have to wonder._"

"_It would take too long for us to swim to the surface that Annie is on. It is faster being above the water. However, he is doing things before they happen. We know how Kilnak is when he is away from Nikki for too long. I wonder if he is acting the same way, but only for Annie's safety,_" Grynkar thought.

"Annie, where are you right now?" Joel asked. "You're on the beach? Is your mother with you? Annie, there is a jet in the air right now for you! You have to go back to her!"

"Give me the phone," Kilnak said when he dried his hands. "Annie?"

"Um…who's this?" she asked.

"I'm Kilnak. Yeah, I sound better. Listen. There is a merman that wants to meet you. He's my younger brother. However, you have to go back to Ashley. You have to stay with her at all times. My brother can sense things. He thinks you are in danger. Please go back to her. If you have truly changed in your ways, you will do this now. Prove it to me. Listen to what I say," Kilnak said carefully.

"I'm fifteen minutes away from the house. I'll go back right now," she said.

"Thank you."

"Can I talk to him? Your brother?" she asked.

"Go back to Ashley first. Then you can. Deal?"

"Deal!" she agreed. The connection dropped and he looked at Tessoo.

"_She should call this device when the large yellow circle above the surface is almost halfway up. She was alone near the water, but on the surface. She understands that you are concerned for her safety. She is proving to me that she can change. If she does not contact us at the destined time, we will take action. I will contact Ashley directly to have her find out where Annie is,_" Kilnak said.

"_That's fine. I actually feel better now that she has agreed to go back to her matriarch. I guess I felt that she was alone, and I didn't want her to do that. Um, can you ask Joe if she has any problems?_" Tessoo asked. "_Such as any recent ones?_"

"Joel," Kilnak said as he glanced over now. "Did Annie have any enemies? Or new issues?"

"Yeah, actually. She dumped all her friends and got her number changed," Joel shrugged. "Ah, that's right! You guys don't know yet. I'll make sure you get her new number."

"She did what?!" Lisa gaped.

"Are you serious, Dad?" Nichole blinked.

"It turns out they were using her for my bank account. Forcing her to buy stuff for them. When she finally caught on and said no, she got bullied into doing it. When your mother took over the calls, they started to threaten her. She's keeping every text message they send her and forwarding them to their parents. She's enjoying it way too much," Joel smirked.

"That's crazy," Josh winced.

"Them. The others. They bad," Tessoo frowned.

"Will they try something?" Joel asked.

"Um…not sure. But, I know. Bad," Tessoo nodded.

"I think he doesn't want her being alone where they are. He doesn't want her bullied. That's the only thing I can think of. It would make sense of her attitude, if you think about it. She likely met one of them in a pageant and got her mean streak started there," Kilnak said.

"Ah…I think you're right!" Joel mused. "Well, she's cutting all of them off right now. I'm relieved. Anyways, we'll wait and see if she calls us. Let me call Ashley."

"Is he all right?" Nichole asked her husband when she watched Tessoo.

"He should be fine. This is the first time I have ever seen him like this. It was the same with Kina when it came to Josh. I'm sure that Annie will be fine. I never thought I'd be concerned about that one, but if she changes, then fine. I can forgive her," Kilnak nodded.

"Me, too," she nodded. "But…I think I can only forgive her if she apologizes to me like Lisa did. Doug apologized to us. Josh didn't really do too much to me, so he's fine. But, Annie has to apologize to me. If she doesn't, I won't feel right about her."

"I agree," he nodded. He pulled her close to cradle her and sigh. The next ten minutes went by like nothing when he was this absorbed in her. When the phone rang, Joel answered it.

"Annie? Hey! You're with your mother? Okay, I can hear her in the background. Really? You were confronted? By who? Two of those girls? Oh, good. You were already in the car and driving away. You…flipped them off?! That's hilarious!" Joel said as he gasped with laughter.

"So, she was confronted. Hmm. Every time Tessoo warns about something, it's seen to rather quickly. Good. Annie is safe now, at least," Kilnak nodded. "Joe, she can talk to my brother."

"Here. She's safe and can talk to you," Joel said. "Dry your hands first. Okay. Got the phone?"

"Yes. Um…Annie?" Tessoo said softly as he talked into the strange device.

"Hi," was the soft response back.

"Stay with, um, mom. Okay? I see soon. I talk better. Soon," Tessoo said.

"Okay," she said. "I look forward to meeting you."

"Yeah," he smiled. "Um…stay safe. Okay?"

"I will," she promised. He gave the phone back and Joel took over the call to end it properly.

"_Kilnak, I need you to help me speak their language better,_" Tessoo sighed. "_I know I want to hunt for her, but this is important. Can you help me?_"

"Lisa, can you start helping him talk? I'll call my friend to help," Kilnak smiled.

"Sure! Ah, Tessoo? Right?" Lisa smiled. The younger merman nodded and looked over at Kilnak's companion. He got fed a mackerel and chittered to show he was ready.

"How far Doug?" Sitari asked.

"He's not far," Joel said. "If he left some time ago, he may be here soon."

"I swim?" she asked.

"No. I will go," Kep said. Then Grynkar stopped him and swam for them. He wanted to do his role as scout. As Lisa gave lessons to those that wanted to listen to her, Kilnak kept cuddling his wife. He was quite glad that a shady barrier was set up. They wouldn't have lasted for long.

"Do we have any drawings for the crew to work with?" Josh asked.

"We do. I've been building a file record on the laptop. I can convert it to a transferrable file format to give over to them. Ah, let's go over that and make sure it's accurate. They did get the funds to make the house, so that's not the problem. It's getting the materials out here. What day is it today…oh! Nikki's twenty-first birthday is three days away!" Joel grinned.

"Dad, please…" Nichole blushed. Kilnak looked at her and back to her father.

"What usually happens?" Kilnak asked.

"We tend to embarrass her with presents, sweets, food and remind her of how old she is now," Lisa grinned. "Not sure what you guys do."

"Hunt better prey," Lotisoo chuckled. "New weapon. Small gifts."

"Okay. Not a big celebration, but that makes sense. Just new tools and such," Joel mused.

"I can get you more jewelry. You're still wearing the diamond and pearl set," Kilnak said with a bit of a wicked grin at her blush. "Don't worry. I'll pamper you rotten!"

"No! Don't do that!" Nikki begged.

"Why not? You deserve it," he chuckled and nuzzled her. "You are long overdue for the real pampering you deserve. Trust me."

"You've done enough," she grumbled.

"Nope! Not enough," he teased. "So, what else can I get you? Oh, I know! Let's make a real treasure room as our bedroom! I know you always drew about that, didn't you?"

"Don't you even think about it!" she scowled.

"Too late!" he snickered. Joel cleared his throat and went to the laptop to start it up. "I'll do some research on wealthy bedrooms. Lisa! Have any ideas?"

"Lace curtains!" Lisa said quickly. "Or satin and velvet!"

"Stop!" Nikki blushed.

"Persian rugs!" Josh chimed in. She glared at him and he ignored her.

"I'm just getting some ideas on our bedroom," Kilnak smiled.

"Water will destroy everything, though," she frowned.

"Then, your side will be fine," he nodded. He grinned at her blush and kissed her lovingly. The next few hours were dedicated to keeping Nichole calm with slight teasing and language lessons that were definitely needed. When Doug did arrive in the first hour, Sitari was quick to help him rest and recover. They were both very happy to see each other, but Joel refused to let him have a pearl until Ashley got there. Kilnak could only agree, but he was still worried about how his brother was faring. Whenever Tessoo started to get worried, he was reassured with a quick phone call to Annie. It was the only way to help him refocus on learning how to speak right.


	6. Chapter 6

The moment Ashley and Annie boarded the jet, a phone call was sent to Joel. It got there slightly faster, but that was fine. Tessoo had finally grasped enough to hold a decent conversation, but he still had a ways to go. Joel was making a list of building materials for Bobby. The authorities had finally let up on him with nothing to show for it. Once the building materials were confirmed, the conversation got more general with current events.

"How long until the jet gets to the mainland?" Joel asked. He was sipping a beer on the yacht and felt completely relaxed. "And what's going on with the jewelry?"

"I have the jet going as fast as it can. We could be looking at two and a half hours. As for the jewelry, Josue is ready to go over it with you. Ah, I do have a question. I'm not usually one to pry, and you know this, but it's for my benefit to know," Bobby said.

"If I can answer it, then I will."

"What's the real reason that Annie is coming back out?"

"Well, I can only assume that you're asking because of Mitchell. It's like I said. She's lonely. She has to get away from her new antagonistic friends. If any of them try to vandalize my house, I have a security camera with motion sensors to catch them in the act. I also want to see how much she changed."

"Does Kep want to see, too?"

"I don't know yet. Granted, she may be on the yacht with me and Ashley, but who knows?"

"Hmm. Mitchell will be out of luck if Kep does want to test her again."

"Possibly. Who's to say? Ever since her reality check, she's finally piecing things together. Mitchell kept making her feel smothered. I understand he was concerned, but this is how she is. With all the new changes she's making, it's a bit surprising. I never expected it. She loved getting calls all the time before. Ashley even told me that she boxed up all of her pageant trophies!"

"She did?"

"Yes! She said that Annie told her that they were all just plastic and rhinestones! She only has one trophy out, and it was the first one that she ever won. The others are out of the room. She had a shrine dedicated to them. Now it's just an empty shelf. Half her closet is bare, too. She even said that if we wanted to sell off some of the dresses, then we could if we wanted to! It's just plain weird to think about. She's not even wearing a ton of makeup anymore. She wears just enough to look nice."

"Mitchell always wanted to have a glamour wife. I may have to tell him that he's out of luck!"

"You may have to. She spent two hours fishing, caught a fish and cooked it. She loved it."

"Amazing," Bobby chuckled. "When do you plan to hit the mainland?"

"When you tell me the jet is an hour out. I was warned not to leave the yacht. I need Ashley and Annie shuttled to me," Joel sighed.

"I can arrange that. I am curious, though. If Annie was always buying stuff for her friends, how come you didn't catch that? It does puzzle me."

"She had a monthly spending limit of two hundred dollars. She stayed in that limit. I didn't question what she bought. I was too busy with work and let Ashley handle all of that. You think I would have caught on, but only if it went over the budget. I'm starting to wonder if those girls were cycling out what they wanted her to get to keep from getting found out."

"Crafty little brats, aren't they?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But, that all stops now. Call me when the jet is an hour out, please?"

"What do you plan to do about the jewelry?"

"Fuck. Ah, can Josue meet up with me?"

"He might be able to. With all the stuff that happened today, I can see it happening."

"Should I dock Little Star at another port?"

"Yes. South side of the island this time."

"Done," Joel nodded and hung up the phone. He moved up to the deck and saw Tessoo watching him from the side. On looking down, he waved at the merman. "Annie is in the air. She's safe. Ashley is with her. Okay? They'll be here soon. Much faster than normal."

"Good," he nodded back. "I will hunt."

"That's fine."

"How long?"

"Two hours. When I start to leave, you'll know they're close."

"Um…can I go? Follow?"

"Only if you stay under the boat. I would prefer if you stayed here. A lot of stuff is happening in the mainland. Work on getting food for Annie. I will have dolphins with me."

"Grynkar go?"

"He can hide himself, so he can come. If others want to, they can, too. But, you should stay here. There is a lot of bad stuff happening on the island, and you could be seen. You even told me to be safe. You need to be safe, too. Just trust me, okay? Everything will be fine. You can help Nikki, too," Joel said calmly. He knew this merman was young and seemed to work on impulse. It was good for survival, but not for stealth around the mainland. He could be seen. As much as Tessoo didn't like the thought of staying behind, the reasons were sound.

"What Annie like eat?" the merman asked.

"She really likes lobsters," Joel chuckled.

"Okay!" Tessoo nodded. He could work on finding some for her. Kep swam over and was informed on what was going to happen. He agreed with Joel's logic and offered to help hunt.

"Oh, Kep! I have a big question for you," Joel said.

"Yes? What is it?" Kep asked.

"I need a coral spear that you use. No tip on the end. Just for balance purposes for Kilnak's future trident. We are trying to make it, but we need to know what would be good for him to use in the water. We can see about matching the weight with what you use," Joel said.

"Ah! Okay! _Tessoo, ask one of our pod to give over an unmade weapon of growing cling rock. It is needed to help with Kilnak's future weapon,_" Kep said. The younger merman nodded and dove off.

"I still don't know why Kilnak wants a trident," Joel chuckled. "He wants it to be a show of power at the same time. I mean…why?"

"Many come here still to try and test him. He was very weak before. A new weapon will show, ah, pause. Hesitation, I think. Not to rule, but to show respect. Nikki does not want him to rule us. I know it will not happen. Just helps keep things respectful," Kep said. He tried to explain everything slowly to make sure he got the words out right.

"Ahh. That would make sense. Not as a leader of your people, but to show that he can't be messed with anymore. Right?"

"Yes. It will help him with respect and to help hunt."

"Gotcha," he nodded. At the sudden commotion from the dolphins, he frowned. "And what's that all about? Do you know?"

"Hmm. One that thinks Kilnak is weak. Stay here," Kep muttered. Kilnak was already bristling with rage at the intrusion. This island was not enclosed with rocks, but the dolphins weren't letting the troublesome merman get close.

"Who is it?" Nichole asked.

"Remember the one that didn't think I mated you well enough?" Kilnak grumbled.

"Seriously? It's him?" she cringed.

"Yes. He has a mate now, but he came back with her to see what we were up to."

"You know, from being on land a bit more, your chest is filling out a bit," she giggled and ran a hand from his abs up to his chin. He shivered and looked at her.

"That's good and bad. Being slimmer is good for swimming. I may not be as fast as I used to be. I have been swimming when I need to, but I've been holding my breath instinctively above the water, too. Mainly because I'm used to doing it for so long."

"Helps in a long kiss," she grinned. "Not so well for me, though."

"I can prove you wrong," he growled and pressed himself against her hips. "You don't complain when I spend long lengths of time doing other things with my mouth…"

"Hush!" she giggled. At another whispering growl, she shivered with her own form of delight. At Kep's approach, he muttered and looked over.

"_Kilnak, it's Sernis. I'm sure you heard him. He came back with his mate to show her off. I tried to tell him to leave, but he won't. You know how he is,_" Kep frowned.

"_Sernis is an idiot!_" Lotisoo scowled. Lisa was mildly alarmed at was going on, but she kept calm at his gentle smile. Even Josh was a touch tense, but Kina stayed with him. Doug was sleeping rather deeply in the make-shift home with Sitari next to him in a pool of water. The dolphin trip had completely drained him, and no one wanted to wake them up right now. Sitari also didn't want to leave his side, so she optioned to sleep, too.

"Nikki, I have to handle this," Kilnak muttered.

"Okay. I'll stay here," she nodded. He kissed her lustfully and dove into the water. He approached the Merfolk couple and straightened in the water. When Sernis glanced at him with a smirk, he paused. Kilnak was definitely filling out more from working with humans. His chest actually seemed to ripple with new muscle. The glare he got made him pause for just a moment. It didn't go unnoticed.

"_I don't care that you have a mate. I don't care to know why you're here. My mate is with offspring. I am protecting her. There is no need for you to ever bother me again. I am getting stronger. Faster. Swifter. You need to leave,_" Kilnak growled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"_Did that filthy Land Dweller do something to you?!_" Sernis's mate asked.

"_My mate is not half as filthy as you are!_" Kilnak seethed. "_If you dare to insult her again, I'll chase you down and skin you alive!_"

"_Kilnak, you'll do no such thing!_" his sire scowled as he swam over. "_Sernis, you and your mate have over-stayed your welcome. If you came to hunt, then that's fine. But, if you came here to deliberately try to belittle my offspring, then you are out of your place._"

"_Bad!_" the female dolphin Elder swam over with a few of her pod members. "_You bad! Leave!_"

"_I warned you,_" Kep muttered when he swam over with more of his pod members. Nichole's massive dolphin companion was now circling the front of the beach with agitation. "_You always forget. My pod is one of the most respected. You keep harassing Kilnak. It's done. He has a dark moonstone that rivals and outdoes all others. Why do you keep coming around to pester him?!_"

"_I don't want to know. I'm going back to my pregnant mate. Her sire is on the device. Don't follow me,_" Kilnak grumbled and swam off. When Sernis was about to argue, another commotion happened. A half-starved merman was being brought to the island by several patrolling dolphins. Kep took instant concern and swam over to help. Kilnak now turned and went to assist.

"_Lone Wanderer, it seems,_" Kep said. "_He's badly wounded. Get Joe._"

"_Yes, Elder!_" Kilnak nodded and swam up to the surface. "Joel! We need your help!"

"What's up?" Joel asked when he leaned over the rail.

"We have a wounded kin that was brought in by dolphin. He's not of our pod, but any wounded merman can be taken in as kin until healed. It also looks like he hasn't eaten in some time. We can use your help," Kilnak grimaced. Joel jumped into the water and let a dolphin help him get to the island. Sernis was amazed. His mate was just as surprised. A human was going to help one of them?! They had to see for themselves. Kep stopped them with a warning look.

"_Be neutral. He is a healer. Don't argue with him or try to stop him. He helped one of our pod and another in need. Understood?_" Kep glared. They both nodded and were permitted to appear at the island. Joel was already directing his kids on what needed to be prepared.

"He's lost a lot of blood," Joel grimaced as he studied the circular, foot-long bite mark on the front of the tail. It seemed to be just under where the hips would be. "Shark. Looks like it, at least. Rather clean bite and no excess flesh to stitch. I don't see that a major artery was hit. That's good. The position of the bite seems to be where his lower legs would start for us, so it's in a rather fleshy area on the front. He can rest on his back, so he can breathe. It appears to be a day or two old. I'm surprised he lived as long as he did just from the blood loss alone! It seems to have started closing up right away, but I don't like how thin he is. I may have to reopen a few areas if there's infection for drainage. I need my surgical kit! I need iodine! Water, too! Now!"

"Here!" Lisa said, and she put various supplies near him. "I'll work on something soft for him to chew and swallow."

"I hate to say it, but we do have protein drinks. Would they be easier?" Nichole asked.

"I can't cut a hole to his gut, so we'll have to hope he drinks it," Joel nodded. "Use a straw. Give him water first and see if he'll drink it. I need him near the humidifier, too, for his skin. There should be plenty of moisture in the air, but this is precaution."

"What's going on?" Doug mumbled when he woke up.

"A wounded merman was brought in. We're making some space for him," Josh said.

"Really? Need my help?" he asked. "I can get up."

"Not right now. If you need to sleep more, go for it. If we need your help, I'll wake you," Josh nodded. Doug yawned and felt Sitari rest a webbed hand on his chest. She knew he needed more sleep. Sighing at her, he fell back to sleep. While they slept again, Josh was able to make a small clearing near the humidifier. Kilnak kept a watchful eye on the rival Merfolk couple. They were simply fascinated at what was going on. Joel was already swabbing the worst spots with iodine and even extracted a tip of a shark tooth. He checked the merman's pulse and cringed.

"I need to give him a transfusion of blood, but there's nothing I can do here," he sighed.

"A transfusion?" Kilnak asked.

"Yes. We have the ability to purify blood for others to use for emergencies. We can sort out who has the best blood for any use. We have made a lot of modifications to extend our health. I don't know about any of you, though. I don't know if your blood is different or if you could even accept ours. We'll just have to hope that he can drink down enough fluid to get by."

"Can't help?" Tessoo frowned.

"There's only so much I can do," Joel admitted. "I'll handle the worst of it. Do any of you know him? Why was he traveling alone?"

"When a merman reaches a certain age and can't find a mate at any gatherings, the pod sends him off to find one. It was almost done with me," Kilnak smiled softly. "These mermen are called Lone Wanderers. When they find a mate, their survival rate gets higher, and they can rejoin with their pod or stay with their mate's pod. It's…not often that a Lone Wanderer can survive for very long."

"I'm glad you didn't become one," Nichole smiled.

"Me, too," he nodded and hugged her tight. "But…I don't know him."

"Can others band together like some rogue male animals do?" she asked.

"No. It would make sense, but if one finds a female that wants him, there could be jealousy issues. They tend to stick to themselves. On a rare occasion, they may band together to help take out a large fish, but it's uncommon. Not much else to say about it," he shrugged.

"He's drinking!" Lisa smiled. She saw a mild form of movement when the cool water was able to seep into his mouth. A small swallow was done and another was given carefully. He wasn't strong enough to use a straw, so very small amounts were able to be given with utmost care.

"Spray his skin down," Josh said and handed over a spray bottle with seawater. Lisa nodded and started to do just that. His skin had to stay moist.

"Mix some of that protein shake into the next batch of water you give him. It will help settle his stomach. Keep the damp seaweed over his eyes, too. It will help if he has any headaches. Another shark tooth…there it is…and out! Okay, there really isn't much skin to stitch back on, so we'll put heavy salve over this to keep out infections. I did stitch up some of the deeper cuts, and the seaweed will dissolve when the healing takes place. I need a bit of full seaweed now! I need to wrap this up!"

"Here, Dad," Lisa said. Lotisoo was able to help her untangle the seaweed easily and various pod members assisted. The weak merman was able to drink down some of the watered down protein shake as he started to stir. His breathing got a touch more labored, but only because he was holding his breath for so long. Kilnak watched everything carefully and kept Nichole behind him.

"_Easy, now. You are being helped by Land Dwellers. These are ones that have merged with our pod. They understand us and our ways. You may have met Kilnak a moon ago. Maybe not. But, you are with us now, and you are safe. His mate's sire helped try to fix you up a bit. He's a healer, but there is only so much he can do,_" Kep soothed to the gasping merman.

"_The one…with…the dark…moonstone? I heard…but not seen…_" he breathed.

"_Just rest. They have a type of food that can be a form of water. It was given to you, and you may need more. Don't worry. When did you leave your pod?_" Kep asked now.

"_Ah…um…five moons ago…_" the merman coughed.

"_Do you remember your name?_" Kilnak asked now.

"_It's…Kessin…_" he sighed and slipped off into a deep sleep.

"I think he's unconscious," Joel frowned.

"No. He fell asleep," Kilnak smiled. "That means he's healing. Now that he knows that he can rest and that he's safe, he let go of the instinct to survive in water. He can breathe easier."

"Good to know. And who are they?" Joel asked when he pointed at Sernis and his mate.

"Ones that like to challenge me," Kilnak muttered. "They don't know when to leave."

"Okay. I can resolve that issue with one little step. As a doctor, and a healer, this is my right. Can they leave now so they don't stress out my patient if he wakes up?" Joel asked.

"I will tell them," Kep grinned. "_Sernis, the merman said his name is Kessin. He's a Lone Wanderer, as we thought. He's healing now. The Land Dweller has asked for you and your mate to leave to keep the stress down. As a healer, it is his right to state this._"

"_A Land Dweller was able to help…_" Sernis's mate whispered.

"_We'll go,_" Sernis said wisely at the glares from the others.

"_If you know where his pod is, you can let them know that he is well. If they wish to find him, they can come here,_" Kilnak said lightly. "_Such is the way it is for any wounded Lone Wanderer._"

"_Granted,_" Sernis nodded. A found Lone Wanderer barely alive was better than a dead Lone Wanderer. It would relieve the pod he came from, and the calls would be sent out. When they left, Joel was now in the works of a temporary area to keep his new patient comfortable. A small bed of sand was dug out by the water to let him rest in. The waves would easily come up and over him to help with his skin. This would also naturally filter out the wound to help it along. The sand was kept still with some imbedded tarp. Several pod members volunteered to help regulate the sand if too much was carried in from the waves. Soft seaweed was even placed on the bottom of the tarp and sand as a form of bedding.

"Lisa, you may have to play as a nurse for a bit. Whenever you can, try to get him to drink some water and protein mix. He needs to get his fluids back. In an hour, I'm going to have to leave to get your mother and sister. I should probably head out now, come to think of it. I'll contact Bobby for some supplies he can get for me. Like Tessoo said, I can't leave the yacht. Right?"

"No," Tessoo nodded. "Kessin will be fine. I feel good."

"Good to know," Joel smiled and nodded back. He was told that Doug and Sitari were still sleeping, but he was fine with that. He knew firsthand how hard those dolphin trips were! He had to experience four of them, and that was with waterproof bags of supplies. Once he was on the yacht and it started to move off, Grynkar and several dolphins followed him. Joel's dolphin companion also followed as she always did. Nichole looked over at the wounded merman and was very glad he was brought to them in time. Hopefully he'd be well enough to find his way out. It was either that or his family was able to reach him to offer some help. It was all she could hope for.


	7. Chapter 7

Bobby was surprised at the report he got from Joel and was just as concerned about the wounded merman. He had several of his men make the supply purchases needed to help with Kessin's survival. He even got a surprise phone call from 'The Boss' with an assurance that medical equipment would be purchased to help them. He was grateful for the aid. As it was, there was a lionfish stall opened in the fish market, and it was quite successful. Josh, Lisa and Doug were all taking turns to monitor it when they could, but they agreed to let one of Bobby's men help when the island home needed to be seen to.

When Little Star arrived at the southern docks, Ashley and Annie were already en route to Joel. The moment they got to the yacht, Bobby had shown up with a few boxes of supplies.

"What's all this?" Ashley frowned.

"Kilnak's pod had to take in a wounded merman. I needed hospital supplies to see what else I could do. A shark bite to the tail had him lose a lot of blood. I'm surprised he still lived," Joel sighed. "Thanks, Bobby. I'll make sure you get your treasure when I come back around."

"I was ordered to go with you, actually. I have my own boat, and it has some medical equipment that can be used with the generator. Heart monitors and other things you're familiar with. Courtesy of my boss," Bobby smiled. That had Joel very curious now. "It's good to see you, Annie. Don't worry about Mitchell. I already told him to stop contacting you."

"I already changed my number," Annie shrugged. "I kinda had to. Not only for him, but for the ones I used to think were my friends. As it was, he would call me in the middle of the night and wake me up. It got really annoying! After the third time, I told him to knock it off."

"No, he wouldn't!" Bobby chuckled. Then she showed him the phone messages. Now he got pissed. "Okay. He did. If he calls me about you, I'll give him his ass after I kick it past a field goal."

That got a small giggle from her, and she went into the main room of the yacht to sit back and relax. Ashley whispered to her husband that she didn't throw one single fit the entire time. She didn't even look at her phone once! Joel blinked his eyes a bit and nodded to Bobby when he left for his boat. He gestured to Ashley and said, "Honey, can you manage the boat while I talk to Annie?"

"Okay! You taught me how to drive it. Is our guide waiting for us?" she asked.

"Yeah. I already fed her a mackerel, too, so she's good to go," he nodded. He remembered that his dolphin guide was female. It was turning sunset, so various lights were flicked on as the anchor came back up. Once the yacht started to move, he sat with Annie. "Tell me what's going on?"

"I'm sure Mom told you everything," his daughter smiled.

"She did, but I want to hear it from you. One important thing, though."

"What's that?"

"Do you plan to apologize to Nikki?"

"I don't know if she would accept it."

"Lisa apologized to her and she did. Kilnak is giving you a second chance. If you wanted to apologize to her, now would be the time to do it before anything else happened. You were gone for two days. Just two days! And in those two days you decided to grow up?"

"I know…" she trembled as a tear fell. He moved next to her to hug her.

"Come on, Annie. Talk to me."

"It was just…knowing that I was…going to be alone…in that house…" she shivered. "With no one to talk to…and…no one I could trust…"

"No one to brag to?"

"I guess," she swallowed. "Just…feeling left out. And…when I remembered what I had to do…all I could think of...was…well…I could do it. Why couldn't I? I can wash my hair after swimming. I can try fishing and cooking. I decided to go to the pier to see if I could go fishing. And Mom did take me fishing. And I liked it! I couldn't believe how fun it was!"

"Fishing is in the family blood," he grinned. "And you helped cook it, too."

"I didn't realize how much fun cooking really was! I mean…I'd like to take some good cooking lessons. I think I can do that. And…there's a new fish stall, too, right? I could cook some of the fish for people to sample and…"

"Whoa!" Joel found himself laughing. "You would do that?!"

"Why not?" she said with a soft blush.

"I know there are cooking courses for fish all over the island. I also know that the best ones are really expensive. But, if you apologize to Nichole, and you mean it, I'll talk to Kilnak. He may be able to be persuaded into letting you get a season's worth of cooking lessons. Maybe, if you do well enough, he'll extend it to the rest of your schooling. You could even teach Nichole what you learn so that she can help Kilnak, too. It's always a possibility. Think about it."

"I didn't think of that," she blinked. "Are there restaurants in the fish market?"

"There are, actually! I didn't think of that, either! If you become an accomplished chef, then you could serve what we catch. You can also sell the main product by itself, too. Josh wants to become a Pediatrician for future kids. Lisa wants to see about exotic veterinary medicine. Doug is already learning about electronics and construction. If you want to do cooking, I'm sure it would work."

"What about Nikki?"

"Nikki is a special case. She can't be without Kilnak for over twenty minutes. You witnessed this when those researchers came to the island. He's the same with her. They go nuts and act like they haven't seen each other for days. Nikki is also pregnant, so he's on a massive protective streak. Yes, it's verified. And she missed her period, if I recall from what she told me just the other day. They can't leave each other's side. He's at a standstill because he likes hunting. He can only hunt what's around him now. He can't help with tuna anymore. Not unless it's close by."

"That sucks," she frowned. "Oh. You said a merman was hurt?"

"Yes. He's not of Kilnak's pod, but they consider all mermen like him a form of kin. It's hard to explain. Anyways, he couldn't find a girl of his own, so he had to leave his family to find one. If he found one, then he would have gone back to them with her. Only the men of their race do this. He could have also stayed with the girl he found. As it is, it's very hard for any merman to live and survive on their own. They work best in tight groups. We were very lucky that the dolphin patrols found him."

"How bad is he hurt?"

"A shark tore a nasty hole in his tail. He lost a ton of blood. But, he naturally stopped the bleeding. It's just a matter of getting fluids back into him and letting him heal. We've been giving him watered down protein shakes to keep something in his stomach. I'm really curious as to what Bobby has for me. And I have no idea why his boss decided to help with this. It has me a little on edge. If I'm asked for on a favor, I'll say that I owe nothing. I did not ask for their help. They simply gave it to me."

"What's so bad about new equipment to help us?"

"Honey," Joel said grimly. "Bobby is part of a massive smuggling ring. They deal with illegal stuff all the time. I don't know where they got this equipment. I don't know what they purchased. I don't want anything stolen to be traced to me."

"Oh," she blinked.

"I'll use it, but only if my name isn't tied to anything. If a hospital was selling older equipment, I can understand that. But…if it was gotten any other way…"

"I get it," she nodded.

"Good. Now, did you eat anything yet?"

"No."

"Go eat a sandwich and drink a soda. I'm going to talk to your mother," he smiled and kissed her temple. As he went to talk to his wife on Annie's newly found profession, Tessoo was doing everything he could from swimming away to follow them back.

"_They are on their way here! You know this,_" Soosnik frowned. "_You must be patient._"

"_You will see Annie soon,_" Mirn smiled. "_Do you have a moonstone for her?_"

"_Ah…no…I don't,_" Tessoo winced.

"_Joe has extra dark moonstones. I'm sure we have some spare moonstones._ Nikki? Do we have more pearls?" Kep asked. "Tessoo may need one."

"Kilnak? What do you think?" Nichole smiled.

"Hmm. I think we do. Hey, Lisa! My brother needs a pearl. I think a black one is with them. Can you check for me?" Kilnak asked. Lisa nodded and went to the grey briefcase to check what they had. They had made sure to keep one of these water-tight cases around just for this. She was able to find two half inch pearls. Showing him what she found, he nodded. They would work. Tessoo was able to claim them, and he sighed nervously.

"Do you think we'll need more?" Nikki asked.

"For you, yes," he grinned. He loved the jewelry set that Joel found for her. Each pearl looked stunning in the lacework of gold. One diamond did get loose in a section piece, but it was easy to fix with a bit of pressure on the clasp. Each pearl had a small diamond set between the lacy gold. Her earrings, ring and bracelet always dazzled him. He was showering her with wealth. When he wanted her to wear some treasure, she always declined it. She complained that it was too much.

"What I'm wearing is plenty," she muttered.

"I didn't hear you right," he grinned. "I think I heard you say that you wanted more."

"Doug!" Sitari beamed at him. She was still at his side in the small pool of water. He finally started to wake up and he was hungry.

"Sitari, were you already up?" he yawned.

"Little bit," she chuckled.

"Okay. I needed to sleep that much, huh?" he chuckled.

"Yes. I need sleep, too. I like to sleep with you," she smiled.

"Ah…" he blushed. Josh burst into laughter, and Nichole had to hide her face in her hands as she giggled incredibly hard. Lisa pursed her lips. The talk was innocent, but they took it in a whole new light. When Kilnak looked at his wife for a reason for her laughter, she whispered softly to him. Now he started laughing hard. Lisa finally had to whisper to Lotisoo for a laugh to escape him.

"What funny?" Sitari asked now.

"_We know you say you like to rest with him, but what you said also means something else. You pretty much told Doug that you like to mate with him,_" Kilnak grinned.

"_Well, when the time comes, I'm sure I would!_" Sitari smirked. That got Kilnak laughing harder. Then he was forced to rest on Nichole when Kina started to give her some pointers on how to be with Doug. Lotisoo was dying and struggling for air.

"Kina, what did you tell Sitari?" Josh asked her.

"Oh! How to be with him," she beamed with a small nod. His jaw dropped, the others died with laughter again and Doug was simply too stunned to speak.

"And she was shy?!" Josh hissed at Kilnak's breathless form. Lotisoo had to focus on breathing. It was too much to hold his breath. Lisa was just as bad as the others.

"Hmm," Tessoo thought. "And how you with Nikki?"

"Later!" Kilnak managed to hiss out. Nichole now had one of the reddest blushes on her face to get the others struggling for air once more. "Wait…for Annie…!"

"Then you tell?" Tessoo grinned. Kilnak managed to glare at him before laughing again.

"You can figure it out like Kilnak did," Nichole grinned back. "Exploration is the best rule."

"Stop it!" Lisa groaned as she kept laughing.

"Should I explore you again?" Kilnak growled.

"I don't see why not," Nichole whispered and got pulled close to him. "Just remember. I always win when it comes to these battles."

"Liar," he smirked. Then his mind went blank at the nibbling on his neck. Her mouth moved to the edges of the skin that attached to his neck, and his eyes went wide.

"Told you so," she grinned wickedly. Lisa now gave an odd look to her husband, and he found himself swallowing. Tessoo was clearly amused at what he saw. At the hard lick that Nichole gave her husband's throat, he gave out a tense hiss for control.

"We're going swimming. Maybe we'll eat something on the way back," Kilnak growled.

"I'll make you my main course anytime," she muttered in his almost nonexistent ear and gave his chin a nibble. He scowled, pulled her close and dove into the water with her. As the others died laughing once again, he swam with her to the now cleared out island. He felt much safer here from the surrounding rocks and trees. This was their destined home, too, and he found himself hugging her tight with a sense of relief. It brought back vivid memories of them simply being together for the first time.

"Love Nikki," he whispered as he cuddled into her.

"Love Kilnak," she trembled. Now he gave her everything he had. Her swimsuit was tossed aside. Her jewelry and seaweed wrappings were carefully taken off to join it. Even the seaweed wrappings that held his pearls and bone weapon holder were put aside. This was his time with her. He wanted no interruptions. The dolphins were already planning on ensuring that.

Back on the temporary island, Lisa was finally calm enough to check on the healing merman. Kep was keeping a close eye on him, too. He didn't want the merman to panic if he woke up and saw Lisa. Even he wouldn't know how he would react to a human helping him get better.

"I thought you told him about us," Lisa frowned.

"Yes, but he is healing. He may forget," Kep smiled.

"That's true," Josh nodded. "Does he seem better?"

"Yes," Kep nodded. "His breathing is good. It is not too hot, so his skin is fine. He does need more food, though. Can you give him more?"

"I got the protein mix," Lisa nodded. As that was carefully given to him, Tessoo was grimacing.

"_Elder, is Annie almost here? How much time passed?_" he asked.

"_The solid bright circle shows that it is not much longer. When it reaches a bit above the water's edge, they should be here. You still have time to wait. Did you hunt for her yet?_" Kep chuckled. "_You said you would. Didn't you?_"

"_Where were the largest hard-skinned pinchers found?_" he asked.

"_I can show you! Come with me!_" his matriarch smiled and waved to him.

"_I'll go with you,_" his sire said. The dolphins weren't letting anyone get into the main island right now. Kilnak and Nichole were in a rather intense mating session. They needed the privacy.

Catching the lobsters took the rest of the time needed. Kep continued to look after the wounded merman, and he was very pleased that all of the nourishing fluids that Lisa gave him were taken down. Doug got the call that the yacht was almost there and to prepare an area for hospital equipment.

"Hospital stuff? How'd you get that?" Doug asked.

"Bobby's boss sends his regards. I'm still a little wary of it, but we need it. I don't know what was given over, and I'll be inspecting every inch of it. The builders will be out tomorrow. We'll be there in the next ten minutes," Joel said. "How's my patient?"

"Oh! He's still sleeping. Kep says he's doing better. Lisa's been giving him stuff, too."

"Good. I'll check his wounds when I get there," Joel said and hung up. Word was spread that the yacht was approaching, and Kilnak clearly wasn't ready to go back to the temporary island.

"We need to," Nichole said with a soft smile.

"I know. I'm just…not done…" he mumbled in the kiss she gave him. She wasn't done, either, but they could come back here later on. He was holding her upright in the water much like he did when they were first together. He was able to claim her once more before letting her separate from him. He watched her dress back in her bikini, seaweed wrappings and jewelry, and he was able to retrieve his seaweed wrappings. Letting her cling to his back, he swam them both back to the temporary island.

"_I guess you heard they were coming back?_" Lotisoo chuckled.

"_Yes. I'm going back with her after I know it is okay to do it,_" Kilnak said lightly. "_Where is Tessoo? Is he doing something else?_"

"_Tessoo is hunting for hard-skinned pinchers,_" Kep smiled. "_He is not alone. Your parents are with him. And there they are!_"

"More lobsters?" Nichole smiled.

"For Annie," Tessoo nodded. They found quite a number of them. Doug and Josh started to grab them, and Lisa started to set up the boiling pot. Many were already being killed for the flesh to be pulled from the shells. They wanted to have various parts of it cooked in different ways.

"They're here," Kilnak smiled. "_Tessoo, I would advise that you stay here. Let Annie come to you. This is in case others are with Bobby._"

"_Ah…yes. You're right. I'll wait,_" his brother nodded. At the sudden wary look, he knew that something was odd. He nodded back and let Nichole cling to him.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Tessoo looks cautious. We'll let them come to us. I worry for our island," Kilnak muttered.

"_The Fin Folk are watching our surface,_" Kep said. He overheard their worried talk. "_It will be safe. From what I know, another device had come with Joe. It carries more for him to help our kin._"

"_If anyone we don't trust tries anything, I will kill them. And I won't care,_" Kilnak warned. Kep could only nod with agreement. Grynkar swam over to them now to report what was going on.

"_The device that Bobby is on is purposely keeping distance for now. I don't like it,_" he said.

"_Hmm. Tessoo! How do you feel of the other Land Dweller device?_" Kep asked.

"_Until the ones on it show that they mean no harm, I would not trust it. I need to see Annie now. If I don't see her soon, I will go to her,_" Tessoo said. Right when he said that, Ashley and Joel had appeared with the dolphins first. Annie was quickly climbing off the yacht to get escorted to them right after. She had brought a basic black bikini with her this time. It easily did the job. When she finally approached the beach, she wondered why it looked different. Then she remembered that it was temporary. The new house had to be built on the other one.

"Annie!" Joel said. He sat on the beach to examine his patient. "Ask for Tessoo."

"Tessoo?" she blinked. At his name, the young merman rose up from the water. Kilnak and Nichole smiled at each other and watched carefully. The others now kept quiet to see what happened.

"Annie…" Tessoo said. It was as though time stood still for them.

"Annie, you say you can cook now?" Kep asked to break the silence.

"I do want to learn," she nodded. Her eyes never left Tessoo's face. He was very much the same. He had seen her before, but her nasty attitude towards Nichole had him feel nothing towards her. Now that she was changing, he saw what she truly was. He wanted to nurture that with everything he had.

"You can swim?" Kep asked with a small smile. As a response, she shook hard and started to whimper. Tessoo gestured for her, and she leapt back into the water to swim to him. Ashley's jaw dropped. Joel looked over with rare look of surprise. Even her siblings were amazed. Kilnak watched his brother embrace his new fiancée. Tessoo hugged her tightly to him as though his very life depended on it, and Annie started to break into racking sobs of relief.

"It okay, Annie," he whispered. "I here now. It okay…"

"Why…did I…wait…?!" she whimpered. He simply kept hugging her and rocking her. When his own form of a musical purr came forth to comfort her, she started to calm down. For some odd reason, she felt that she finally came home. That she was done searching for what she was missing in her life. Ashley was dabbing away tears, and Joel was thinking hard about everything.

"Dad? What's wrong?" Lisa asked.

"The family is going to want to meet everyone. The relatives, that is. And I know that people are going to bitch and insult. You know this, too. The only way that anyone can accept this is if your grandmothers from both sides approve. They can shut everyone else up. If they don't approve, well…" Joel grumbled. "It will be the last time any of us talk to them."

"Do we have to tell them, Dad?" Lisa frowned.

"If they start asking questions, we'll have no choice. Who's that?" Joel gave a puzzled look and glanced at Ashley's phone. Ashley scowled at who it was.

"Bethany just doesn't know when to quit," Ashley sighed.

"Give me the phone," Kilnak smirked and dried his hands.

"I should talk first," Joel said.

"No. Me," he grinned. Ashley relented and handed the phone over. "Hello? Who is this?"

"A friend of Annie's. Who are you? You're not Ashley!"

"You must mean Mrs. Wilson. Rather rude as a friend of Annie's if you go by first name basis to another friend's parent," Kilnak growled. "Annie is busy right now, anyways. You can't talk to her. She just married my brother."

"WHAT?! She got hitched?!" the girl gasped.

"Yes. My family is rich. Powerful. If you fuck with us, we'll sue you. Annie isn't your friend. Leave her alone. Don't ever try to contact her. Bye," Kilnak snorted and hung up on the girl. Ashley was giggling like crazy, and Joel was planning to answer the next call.

"Yeah, that was Bethany all right," Annie said. "And…married? Me?"

"Yes," Tessoo said. He held out the pearl that was picked for her. Now she paused at the sight of it with her mouth dropped. "Take pearl. Be wife. No?"

"I…" she started to shake. Kilnak squeezed Nichole with a small chuckle. Lisa and Lotisoo were watching calmly with approved looks. Josh and Kina were trying to make gestures to take the pearl. Sitari now looked at Doug with a small smile.

"What?" Doug blinked. Then she held out a pearl for him.

"Be husband?" she winked. Ashley let out a gasp of surprise at this. Joel found himself laughing and shaking his head. Kep had already rallied the pod together to witness everything.

"You will protect me?" Annie shivered.

"Yes. Promise," Tessoo nodded. The moment she took the pearl, he kissed her hard.

"You'll go easy on me, right?" Doug grinned at Sitari.

"No," she grinned back. That got snickers all around, but he took the pearl from her. She was able to kiss him right after. She knew that Doug was still quite new to relationships. She was, too, but Josh had hinted to her that she needed to take the first step at all times until Doug was more confident.

"I need be with Annie," Tessoo said sternly.

"Not yet," Joel said. "You didn't tell her you loved her. Same with Sitari and Doug. Only after I hear that you love each other will I let you leave."

"Lotisoo and I didn't do that," Lisa chuckled.

"I know, but you both said it later. That and I knew we weren't truly pressed for time. With the house being built and all this other crap happening, I need to hear this now. It will help me feel better," Joel said. Kep nodded to him and turned to speak with the pod. "Just trust me on this, okay?"

"_It's important to Joe to hear this. It proves to him that you mean everything. Yes, you gave over a moonstone, but he needs to hear the words. You should both have them give over dark moonstones now. That needs to be done,_" Kep advised. Sitari nodded and Lotisoo handed her a spare black pearl.

"Doug. Annie. Hold out your hands to retrieve the black pearls. Give the pearls they just gave you back to them. You need to swap the pearls at the same time," Kilnak said. Nichole only watched. She hadn't said a single word yet. Kilnak knew that she was waiting for Annie to apologize, and he also knew that his wife wasn't going to remind her to do it. When Annie gave back Tessoo's pearl, he blinked at her with shock. Then Kilnak explained what had to happen and he understood.

"Much like you," Nichole whispered to her husband.

"I didn't understand that you wanted me to keep it safe. And he's my brother. Of course, he's going to have some of my attributes," he whispered back and kissed her. "Love Nikki."

"Love Kilnak," she sighed and cuddled into him. He nuzzled her back and watched both couples finally exchange the pearls properly.

"Love Annie," Tessoo smiled as he took the black pearl from her.

"I…" she shivered. She hadn't truly experienced first love before. On looking at his warm, loving gaze, she knew in her heart that she'd never want that gaze to falter. "I love you, too, Tessoo!"

He gestured for her to take the pearl again, and he kissed her in a much gentler way this time. When Doug held out the black pearl for Sitari, she took it up quickly.

"I love you," Sitari smiled. She held out the pearl for him again, and he plucked it from her hand.

"I love you, too," he chuckled. "Um…this pearl is sticky now. Do your hands sweat?"

"No. Better for spank!" she grinned at him to see him fluster. Kilnak started laughing with Joel at her remark. She was always going to keep Doug on his toes.

"You're a very violent girl," Doug frowned.

"You complain?" she asked now.

"Ah, I don't complain. I'll just have to figure out how to get even!" he grinned wickedly. At her flustered look, he kissed her hard. Josh laughed and squeezed Kina to him.

"Doug, take it easy with her. She's still my patient," Joel growled with warning. He would keep that protective streak on her until she stopped hurting and could swim normally

"_Sitari, if you are still wounded, will you be able to be with Doug properly?_" Kep asked.

"_I should be okay. He is still a bit careful with me. If he knows I hurt, I'm sure he will stop until I am better again,_" she nodded. "Doug, I still hurt. Um…"

"I know. We'll be careful," he nodded. She showed a bit of relief, and he hugged her to him.

"Now that all the kids are married off," Joel chuckled. "We'll work on getting the housing done."

"Good," Kep nodded. When Ashley's phone rang again, and at the scowl she gave off, Joel gestured for the phone. It was his turn to play as the nasty parent. Kilnak grinned wickedly.

"My turn next!" he insisted.

"You all are having a ton of fun, aren't you?" Annie sighed with a smile.

"I help," Tessoo smirked. Joel was still grinning when he answered the phone.

"Ashley's phone, her husband speaking. Who's calling?" Joel asked sternly.

"Oh. You're Annie's dad?" the girl asked.

"Yeah. Who's this?" he asked.

"Um…I'm Maria…"

"Did my daughter buy anything for you?"

"What? No! I just wanted to know how she is!"

"Annie, do you trust Maria?" Joel asked when he put the phone on mute.

"No. She's like the snitch of the group. I didn't buy anything for her, that I can recall, but she's the one that talks about others behind their backs," Annie nodded.

"Another fucking monkey with a piece of fruit up her ass," Kilnak muttered. That got stuttering giggles and laughs all around. Annie was blushing and getting comforted by her new husband.

"Maria," Joel said as he unmuted the phone. "Annie's married now. She can't talk to you anymore. If you keep calling my wife's phone, her number will also be changed. So, you can tell the others to leave Annie alone. She's no one's meal ticket anymore. Considering that she was buying everyone stuff with _my_ money! If they continue to harass and send nasty text messages to my wife, I will take all of those phone records to a judge before a jury! Do. Not. Call. My. Wife. Got it?! Now go have a life and grow up! Good-bye."

"Annie," Tessoo said gently. "How many others?"

"A lot," she frowned. "Oh, shit!"

"What?" Ashley frowned.

"My Facebook page! They can do things to it…" Annie winced.

"Honey. Does that really matter now?" Joel asked.

"I just…people will say things about me…" she shivered.

"Then block off everyone, but keep family open," Lisa smiled.

"Can we do that now?" Annie asked.

"On my phone. Come here," Ashley nodded. Tessoo swam over with his new bride to let her make the necessary changes to various accounts she had.

"She won't be able to fully change or adapt," Nichole mumbled.

"I know," Kilnak nodded. "She won't live with us."

"She wouldn't survive," she mumbled back with exhaustion. He placed a hand over her belly and actually felt the slight hardening up of her womb. He ran a webbed hand up her back as he rocked her.

"You can sleep if you need to," he whispered.

"I'm okay," she smiled softly. "Just a little drained."

"All right," he smiled back and kissed her forehead. Right after Annie was satisfied that all public access to her accounts were blocked off, another phone call hit. "My turn again!"

"No," Tessoo said. "I go first. I Annie husband."

"You need to talk better," Kilnak grinned.

"No care," Tessoo growled. "I protect Annie."

"All yours!" Ashley nodded. He dried off his hands and answered the phone.

"Hello? Who this?" Tessoo growled.

"Oh! Um…I think I have a wrong number," the girl tittered.

"Always have wrong number," Tessoo said sternly.

"What?" she asked.

"Annie is my wife," he said carefully and slowly. It was not only to ensure that he was keeping to low tones, but to also prove his point. "Annie does not like you. Do not call."

He hung up on her after that. When the phone rang again, it was the same number. Kilnak grinned and took over. "Hello?"

"What's going on?!" the girl asked.

"Why do you want to know? What's in it for you?" Kilnak smirked.

"Annie was my friend! Is my friend!" the girl argued.

"And you are?" he asked.

"Maria!" she said. Now Kilnak looked at Annie and didn't bother to hit mute.

"Annie, do you know Maria? Is she a friend of yours?" he asked. "Wait. We just talked to her! She called back after Joel told her not to call? What the hell?!"

"Yeah, it's what she does. She's trying to get some information on me to tell the others about it. Now that I recall, she loves it when I buy things for her, too! I did spend money on her!" she said loudly. At the loud gasp on the other line, Kilnak grinned wickedly. "All of them only liked me because I spoiled them. I never got the same treatment in return. I'm done with it."

"You heard it from her. She's married to my brother now. Her sister, Nichole, is my wife. I married her first and introduced Annie to my brother. They took a liking to each other after that, and she wanted to come back to be with him. He accepted her as his wife, and they are very happy together. And don't worry about any money issues. My family is richer than fuck!" Kilnak chuckled. "So, yeah. Stop calling Ashley's phone. It's done."

He hung up on her now and grinned at Joel. The doctor smirked and said, "Okay. We'll take turns telling those girls to piss off. As many times as they call. Sound good?"

"Yep!" Kilnak snickered.

"You should just change the number," Lisa said. She checked on the lobster boiling and started to fry up the meat at last.

"This is likely one of the few times I can tell a snotty human to leave us alone and not get in trouble for it. I'm getting my practice in," Kilnak chuckled. At Nichole's odd glance, he grinned. Joel started laughing with Josh. Doug was looking away with a rather amusing smile on his face. At the next phone ring, Ashley clucked her tongue.

"Who's that?" Joel asked.

"The nasty one. Anna-Marie," Ashley said.

"What did she do?" he asked.

"She threatened me," she sniffed.

"It's my turn, anyways," Joel said with a hint of rage.

"All yours!" Kilnak nodded. Joel grabbed the phone and answered it.

"Ashley? Are you there?" the girl said haughtily.

"No. Her husband is," Joe said calmly. At the sudden pause, he continued. "What do you want with my wife? If it's to convince her to let you talk to my daughter, it won't happen. Annie is married into a very rich family now. I approved of it. I don't approve of you. Stop calling my wife. It's disgusting. It's not needed, and you will get nowhere. Grow. Up."

Before she could respond, he hung up on her. Kilnak was all too pleased. At Annie's whisper to her husband, Tessoo nodded and swam her over to Nichole. She shivered a bit, but he nodded again to encourage her to do what she wanted to do. Very softly, she spoke out, "Nichole…I…I'm very sorry for everything. I didn't realize…how things were…"

"I'm glad you finally see things through," Nichole said with a slight nod. "I've never tried to hurt you, Annie. I never tried to outdo you."

"I know…" Annie shivered and started to cry.

"It will take some time for me to trust you again. But…this is a step in the right direction," Nikki sighed. "Just be my sister. That's all you have to be. It's all you've ever had to be. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded and sniffed. Then, for the first time that anyone could remember, they finally hugged each other. Kilnak gave a small smile and an approving nod. When someone else called their mother's phone, Josh stood up.

"My turn! I want to have some fun, too!" he said.

"Fine," Joel rolled his eyes and passed him the phone.

"Hi. Who's this?" Josh asked. "I'm Annie's older brother."

"Oh! Josh, right? Um…how are you? I'm free this weekend…" the girl started.

"Nah. I don't date trash!" Josh grinned with a wicked gleam in his eyes. He knew who this girl was, and he knew exactly what to say to her. That got Joel roaring with laughter. Annie's jaw dropped, and Lisa barked out her own form of laughter. "I don't want to waste my time and money on someone that used my sister like trash, either. I'm just repaying the favor. My wife would kick your ass just for trying to see me, anyways. Hell, my other brother and two sisters got married into this family. We're all happy! You can spread that little bit around on your Facebook or Twitter, or whatever else you call it now. And don't try to find us."

He hung up on her, and Joel gave him a look of complete worry. At his look, Ashley asked, "Honey? You don't like what he said?"

"You likely just gave her the idea to say stuff about all of you being married. On public channels," Joel said carefully. "If she takes you up on that idea, the family might be alerted."

"Oh…shit…" Josh thought allowed and pursed his lips.

"Exactly," Joel nodded and sighed. "It was bound to come out, anyways, if they start prattling off that Annie got married. One girl can be questioned and answered. I was fine with it. You just said that _all of you_ got married. Into the same family. A rich and powerful one. I hope those girls are too stupid to realize things to put them together. We'll have to see."

"Well, they have to come out here by boat. We can leave them stranded," Kilnak shrugged. "They're all screwed no matter what happens."

"Speaking of that, what's going on with Bobby? I haven't seen him since we got here," Joel frowned. "He should have showed up."

Kilnak narrowed his eyes and ducked into the water to call for his companion. When the dolphin arrived, he asked what was going on. At the response, he rose back up and said, "The dolphins are slowing them down. There's something going on that they don't like."

"Grynkar?" Kep asked when the scout appeared. "Try to talk to Joe."

"I try," the scout nodded. Lotisoo looked over at his sire and nodded. The older merman had to try to talk to the humans as much as he could to get the language down. "Um…Bobby bring others. Dolphins…ah…mad. No trust."

"Shit," Joel sighed.

"Hmm…" Tessoo thought. "One on boat. He bad."

"You know something?" Josh asked.

"Yes. Feel. Um…bad one. Cause…wrong," he tried to put it into words. "_Kilnak, you'll have to talk for me. I feel that a Land Dweller is on the device and causing the problems. The Fin Folk sense this and won't let that device come to us. They are even keeping the device from reaching the surface we need. Elder, you may need to calm them down. If the device has healing supplies for Joe, then we need it here. Tell the Fin Folk to let the device bring over Bobby and the stuff that Joe needs. Keep all others on the device, if they must._"

"Joel," Kilnak said. "My brother says that the dolphins are pissed off. There's one man on that boat that's giving them the bad vibe. If my Elder, ah, Grandfather, can convince the dolphins to at least let Bobby here with the equipment, then it should be fine. We need to heal my kin."

"I got some of it, but thanks for clarifying. I do need what they have. And if someone's on the boat causing problems…shit! I may have to talk to them. Ashley, stay here. Newlyweds need to stay put, too. Same with everyone else. Only I should go," Joel said.

"No. Not safe," Tessoo shook his head. "_Kilnak, we need to show that other device that we mean business. It's time to make it move._"

"_What do you mean?_" Kilnak frowned.

"_What did we do last time to save Joe's life?_" Tessoo smirked.

"My pod needs to play a little game called 'Rock the Boat'," Kilnak grinned. "We need to prove a point, apparently. I'll stay here, Nikki. Don't worry."

"Okay," she nodded and hugged him. He gave her an intense kiss and glanced over to watch several pod members dive into the water. They went straight to Bobby's boat to ready themselves. Tessoo looked over at Joel with a gesture for attention.

"Call Bobby?" Tessoo asked.

"I can do that," Joel nodded and auto-dialed Bobby's phone. "Hey! What's going on?"

"We're on our way now. We had a slight issue with a chain in command," Bobby muttered.

"The dolphins sensed something was up. Everyone is wary. They only want you to be the one to help deliver the goods. And there was a problem? A crew member of yours?" Joel frowned.

"He decided to try and tell me what to do. He forgot that I was the boss. So, I had to knock him out with the help of other loyal crew members."

"A warning for you. Kilnak's people may play a game with your boat. If something else happens, that is. I will help you transport stuff off the boat. We don't want anyone else to help. We can use a raft to transport stuff. Is everything okay now?"

"Everything is fine," Bobby said. At Tessoo's shake of his head, Joel grimaced.

"You're lying. What's wrong?" Joel asked.

"Shit…" Bobby sighed. "Mitchell is flying out. He's already on a plane to get here."

"If it's for Annie, then he's out of luck. She just got married."

"Are you serious?!"

"Very. The merman that can sense things claimed her. If Mitchell tries to come out here for her, you may be burying him. Either in pieces or with no blood left in his body. Maybe both."

"Fuck…" Bobby swore. "I'll keep him preoccupied. I figured it was going to happen if Annie was changing herself. Does she want to do a profession?"

"She wants to become a gourmet chef! It would help with the lionfish if she cooks what we catch in a small restaurant," Joel chuckled. Bobby now saw definite promise in this.

"Okay. I'll keep Mitchell away from her. She should definitely do that!" he laughed softly. Tessoo nodded with a light smile that he felt something was good.

"Deal. Just bring the equipment, and I'll help you. We don't want anyone seen," Joel warned.

"I'll keep my crew below deck. The one that tried to show mutiny is now tied up and unconscious. He's already been reported."

"Good. Just remember that the boat is ready to be played with. Much like how my yacht was from before. When you come into view, I'll get my raft ready. I'll have to go to the yacht," Joel said. When the call was disconnected, Kilnak called for his companion to tell the others what was happening.

"_I help!_" the dolphin chittered and swam off.

"The food is almost done!" Lisa said. She started to let the frying meat cool off, and she let Doug help her take out the boiled lobsters. Several lobster heads were fried up for the fats and that was scooped out for several plates. Nichole needed the healthy fats for her growing baby, so a good portion was given to her first. The rest was dispersed to the others.

"Here," Kilnak smiled and helped her eat. She sighed and seemed to droop a bit. She was clearly exhausted. He watched her with a small smile of understanding and set the plate down. Pulling her close, he let her rest against his shoulder. Moving a bit closer to the humidifier, he felt her press her face against his neck. A short moment later, he was supporting her weight as she slept.

"She's very tired," Joel frowned.

"Yeah. We'll let her sleep. Can you lower the sound on your phone?" Kilnak asked. With a nod, all phones had their sounds either lowered or turned to vibration.

"Annie, you're gonna need sunblock. Tessoo can help you put it on later," Josh chuckled.

"I don't want to watch," Joel grimaced.

"Is fine," Tessoo chuckled. He frowned when Bobby's boat came up.

"I'm not sure how quiet I can be," Joel muttered. As a response, Kilnak drowned out various sounds with his musical purring. As long as he was close to the misting humidifier, then he could stay above the water for as long as he needed to. The slopes were dug out just enough for him to lay back on for the water to lightly submerge over him. Josh and Doug moved to pull out a set of heavy tarp sheets to make a full enclosure. It was enough to keep the moisture in and provide a little more privacy. Sitari, Lotisoo and Kina were able to secure the bottoms of it under the water and in the sand. Now no one could get a clear view of the island beach without trying to peer through the small gaps. It was also quickly turning to night, and this helped with the advantage.

Small mirrors even dotted along the outside to purposely blind any that tried to look in with flashlights or daylight. That was Nichole's idea. Soft lights were hooked up to the generator along the inside to help them see. As much as the Merfolk were fine with night vision, Nichole and her family needed them. Once some privacy was secured, Joel was led out to the yacht that was anchored nearby.

"_Elder, I am slightly worried,_" Grynkar muttered to him.

"_Of what?_" Kep asked. He was still keeping an eye on the wounded merman.

"_Two of our Fin Folk went to see if Annie would come here. This was when I left with Tessoo. They have not returned. I don't think they were called back. I worry for them._"

"_Send a call to have them return. We will wait one moon cycle. If they do not return, then we shall have others help us search,_" Kep nodded wisely. Grynkar nodded and swam off to send a homecoming call. He really wanted Kilnak to do it with his sonic roar, but he was caring for his mate. When he watched the orange raft being set into the water from Little Star's side, he nodded. He would watch and ensure its safety. Several other dolphins were helping to nudge it along. A few fish were dropped in the water for appreciation and snapped up quickly.

"Bobby, what's the heaviest piece you have?" Joel said when the raft was close enough. "Let's get that done first to get it out of the way."

"Okay," Bobby nodded. A large machine was handed down, but only lightly sagged in the raft. It was not as heavy as the generator, thankfully. Grynkar was able to keep himself hidden under the raft to help support it. Various other pod members hid under the waves to hide themselves, too. Joel was happy that it was becoming nightfall, but he didn't like it when floodlights were used. The pod had to be cautious now when they moved around the raft.

"Looks like an ultrasound machine. Very good," Joel mused. "Bobby, where were these purchased? Do you have an idea?"

"Not really," he sighed. "I just got the phone call that equipment was being donated to us."

"Right," Joel winced. "As long as it wasn't stolen. If it was, I'd bitch."

"I think you'd bitch, anyways," he grinned. At the look given next, Bobby laughed.

"Try to keep the lights on the raft. We don't want to piss off the dolphins," Joel warned.

"Got it!" Bobby said when he went back to business. The pod members were able to gently push the raft to the beach, and Josh was able to help his father transfer the delicate equipment. They tried to be as quiet as they could, and Kilnak rose up his purring a bit more to keep her calm. He would learn what everything was later. It was just a matter of getting it all set up. It took three trips with the raft before it was all delivered. When Bobby showed up last, Kilnak gave a mild glare for him to keep quiet.

"I know you're here for a treasure ring. So, we can do this. I will have a few brought up, and you can choose which one to take. I'll make sure they are best ones I have. You did bring Annie to us safely with the stuff that Joel needs," Kilnak nodded. Kep was already displaying a few of the priceless rings for Bobby to look at. It was a small, rough diamond and gold ring that was chosen with a tiny inlay of emeralds. It was handed to him and the rest was put away.

"Thank you," Bobby smiled. "Oh, can you look at these?"

"Look at what?" Kep asked. A small box of pearls were now displayed from the raft, and he looked over each small case critically. When he clarified that all were real, he did point out one that had quite a few flaws. With the small case marked, the pearls would be returned to Josue.

"We have this," a pod hunter swam over to deliver the hollow tube of coral they used.

"This will help. Thank you," Bobby said respectfully. He set the coral into the raft next with the case of pearls. "That's pretty heavy!"

"It does take some strength to use," Kilnak nodded. "I'm able to handle shorter pieces, but if it's made lighter, it should work well."

"We'll see what we can do with it," he chuckled. "I think I can head back to the mainland now."

"You will have a guide," Kep nodded.

"Thanks!" Bobby said. They guided the raft back and Joel went over the equipment.

"We have morphine. Good. I'll save this. Ah, liquid penicillin, more iodine, Vaseline, I.V. bags and more syringes. Perfect. Let me check on my patient," Joel said. Ashley was quick to help him remove the seaweed wrappings. An I.V. bag was now used on the merman to get some fluids back into him with a steady drip. A stand was found and set up to help. The pod watched with fascination with everything. The stitches were checked, cleaned and redressed with better medication and fresh seaweed wrappings. When the I.V. bag was used up, it was removed and set aside.

"He'll be fine?" Ashley asked him.

"I think he'll pull through. Now that we got some decent fluids in him, we'll see what happens. Give him some more of the protein shake. More shake than water, though. Let him keep sleeping," Joel said. "When he wakes up, I need to be up. I'd sleep on the yacht, but with him this critical, I'll sleep in a tent. I'm exhausted!"

"Then rest," Kilnak nodded. Then he blinked and looked over at a beeping light. "Is that normal? I don't think you have anything hooked up to the generator."

"I don't," Joel muttered. He looked over at the small light and he carefully pulled the device off.

"Dad," Lisa frowned. "I think that's a tracking device…"

"What?!" he said. He called Bobby. "I need you to get your ass back here!"

"What's going on?" Bobby asked.

"I found a blinking light on the equipment. I think someone put a tracer on you," Joel growled.

"I think I know who did it," Bobby said with a heavy sigh. "I'll be right there."

Within ten minutes, he was back to help look over the equipment. Another tracker was found and pocketed. They decided not to say anything to anyone. If they tried to pinpoint the island, it wasn't even the true one. He had a feeling that the man that tried to mutiny was a hired spy. Bobby would take care of it. When he left again, the dolphins were going to be on a stricter patrol.

"The dolphins are on guard. We can sleep," Kilnak nodded.

"I need be with Annie," Tessoo said.

"_The surface that belongs to us should be free now. You and Sitari can both go there with Doug and Annie. Have the Fin Folk guard you,_" Kilnak said. "I told them to go to our island. It should be calm now. The dolphins will help."

"That's fine," Joel nodded. The two new couples left to finish out their wedding night, and Kilnak settled with his sleeping mate into a floating position. Kina and Josh were quick to take their example. Lotisoo made himself comfortable in a small pool of water to sleep next to Lisa when she was in her small sleeping bag. She needed to dry out. Despite the humidity, it was quite windy to keep the airflow moving. As sleep finally claimed the inhabitants, the night passed peacefully.


	8. Chapter 8

In the morning, Tessoo gently woke Annie on the main island beach. She was nude and resting against him in the shade of the trees. At the small blush she gave him, he smiled and kissed her.

"We go back?" he asked and ran a hand up her side.

"We would have to. Won't we?" she frowned.

"No leave?" he nuzzled her. When he claimed her again, she gave a sharp groan. On the small plot of beach behind the island, Doug was tickling Sitari awake.

"Doug bad!" she scowled and stretched.

"You like me being bad," he chuckled. He was resting on his back, and she moved over him with a wicked smile. He growled and pulled her close to lock her to him. Then he remembered something and nibbled her neck. At the sharp cry of disbelief she gave him, he grinned evilly. "Don't tell me you don't like this. You know you do."

"Bad…Doug…!" she gasped. Another nibble got her to shout again. Thirty minutes of torturing bliss later had them decide that it was time to head back to the temporary island. As they swam back, they caught sight of several dolphins still patrolling the main island. Annie and Tessoo were still lounging around and enjoying each other.

"Hungry?" Tessoo smiled.

"Yeah," Annie finally nodded. He had her dress back in her swimsuit, and he let her cling to his back as he swam with her. She was still clinging to him when they got there, and the smell of cooking fish and lobster was heavy in the air. A plate was quickly given over to them and shared between them. Kilnak and Nichole were still sleeping. Lisa and Lotisoo were up and eating with Josh and Kina.

"How is he?" Lisa asked her father.

"Who? Oh. The merman? He seems a lot more stable. His pulse is stronger. Kep said that he may be waking up soon. I hope he does. It would be nice to see him actually eat something," Joel said as he sipped a beer. "Kep went to find something to help him."

"Good," Josh said. "Nikki's still sleeping?"

"Let her sleep," Joel said with a small glare. Josh held up his hands to show that he was. When his phone rang, he winced. "Hello? Hey, Rick! How are you? Yeah. I'm not sure that I'll be able to come back to work next week. I may, ah, have to put in a notice. Or I'll have to transfer to the Caribbean. It's a long story. No, it deals with my kids. They all got married. Yeah. Well, I'm really needed out here with them. Let's just say that the family my kids married into is pretty wealthy. They really want me to stay out here to help them as their personal doctor. They even offered me a check."

"I think it's a friend of his. Another doctor," Ashley said softly to help explain.

"Rick, don't joke about that!" Joel sighed. "As much as the extra help would be nice, I don't think you would understand the level of secrecy I have to go through. I can't say anything over the phone. Think of it like this. The people I work with now could be related to top secret crap. Yes. What are you suggesting? You have it good there! I don't think you would just up and leave. I know I wouldn't, either, but I may not have a choice. Look, I gotta go. Wait, what? No, I don't think you should come out here at all!"

"Joe? What's going on?" Kilnak mumbled as he yawned to expose his slightly larger canines. He was able to float upright carefully in the small pool of water to keep Nikki from waking up.

"A coworker wants to do what he can to help us," he said.

"Another doctor?" Kilnak asked.

"Yeah. But, I don't think he would understand."

"Is he one that you trust to keep a secret?"

"He can keep a secret. Right, Rick?" Joel smirked on his phone. "Well, I have until the end of the week. If you can get out here by tomorrow, I might be able to let you in on the secret. I know the extra help would be appreciated. And I also know that you need to use some vacation time. Well, think about it. I have five kids. They all got married. Three of my kids are girls. Exactly. You know more about maternity status than I do. Well, I guess if you can get out here, I suppose we can talk business. I am being serious! Eh, let's leave the others out of this for now. Just you. Right. Bye."

"Are you sure it's wise to tell him?" Josh frowned.

"Even you know there's only so much that I can do," Joel admitted. "With another set of skilled hands, there may be a greater chance to help. I just have to hope that he's trustworthy."

"You took a chance with Bobby," Doug said. "Even with me."

"And you get me," Sitari beamed. He smiled and let her hug him.

"Best investment ever," he chuckled. They kissed lovingly and nuzzled each other.

"Huh?" Nichole asked when she woke with a small start. "What?"

"Morning," Kilnak smiled and kissed her forehead. She smiled at him, and he gestured that he was going to swim them out to the front of the beach with her. She nodded and the quick dive down the waterway tube was done. When they emerged, a plate of freshly grilled fish was handed over. At the familiar look of her face turning green, he was quick to launch them both away from the beach. After she retched and let the pregnancy morning sickness take its toll, he cradled her to comfort her. She had been doing this practically every morning now, and she was a trembling mess as he helped clean her up. Then he swam back over to let her rinse out her mouth. He didn't offer her any food yet. He needed to make sure that she was well enough to keep it down.

"Feel better?" Kina asked Nichole with concern. At the small smile she was given back, the mermaid nodded with understanding. Then Kina threw up.

"Kina?!" Josh hissed. Joel looked over with shock and helped her get to the deeper water to clean her up. Her sisters were quick to help and find out what happened. She didn't look feverish or really sick. Josh wanted to swim to her, but Joel had him stay where he was. Kep had come back with some softer food that would help the wounded merman, and he was informed of what happened. He gave the soft crabs over to get processed and cooked, and he thought about what he was told about Kina. On thinking a bit more, he chuckled to himself as he swam over to Joel.

"Joe, I think Kina may have a baby," Kep smiled. Now he was looked at with disbelief. Ashley gasped and clapped her hand with a hopeful form of joy. When the news reached Josh, he was speechless. Was it possible?! Kina was blushing when she made it back to him, and Kep was the one that made the careful checks. He knew what signs to look for when it came to his kin.

"And the verdict?" Joel asked.

"Kina will have a baby," Kep nodded. Kina looked ready to faint, but Josh was cradling her in the water with a grin on his face. Kilnak had a small smile on his face as he held Nichole close to him. Even the Elder dolphin was called for, and she confirmed the same thing. The dolphins clicked and keeled with their own form of excited joy. Food was passed out to them to help keep their hunger down.

"It's been, what? A few days? Seems to be a bit more realistic than Nikki's quick pregnancy. We'll wait a month and see what the ultrasound shows. I am a bit concerned on the development of the fetus. If they evolve differently, then surgery might be needed to help them survive," Joel frowned.

"What?" Kilnak asked. Kep now looked over to pay close attention.

"Think about it. You have tails. We don't. The way we process food and waste is different. If something forms where there should be legs, but there are no legs, a proper opening would need to be made. If the tails don't form right and look more separated in the form of legs, then we may have to separate them. There is something that is rare, but it does happen where the legs grow together in the womb. It is a form of mermaid syndrome to us. We have to surgically cut the legs apart.

"It's not like that with you guys. You have a fully evolved tail. Your bones for your legs are fused together naturally from what I can tell. Also, I doubt you have prominent hip bones like we do. You can't really sit down. You lost the ass, so to speak. You just have solid muscle, and you can float in a sitting position to simulate sitting down. Your feet also became the fins you need to swim with. I'll have to see how that goes, too. I'm just thinking ahead, that's all," Joel explained.

"Hmm," Kilnak thought. He continued to hold his wife and found himself worrying a little. At her squeeze he looked at her with a slow blink of his larger darker blue eyes.

"We'll worry about it if the ultrasound shows reason to worry. Okay?" she smiled. "We don't even know what it looks like, much less how it's growing. Right? So, let's just take it one day at a time. If we catch it early, we can see about trying to fix it early."

"All right," he nodded. At a sudden bout of coughing, Joel went over to the wounded merman to examine him. Kep was there to help. When Kessin opened up his eyes and saw Joel, he panicked.

"_Easy, kin,_" Kep smiled and got his attention. "_These Land Dwellers are good. This one is a healer and was able to help you. Calls have been sent out for your pod. You told us that you are a Lone Wanderer, and that your name is Kessin. Just rest easy. I am of Kilnak's pod. I am his Elder._"

"_Yes. I remember…vaguely,_" he sighed and leaned back to rest in the water.

"_Of course. Do you need food? Do you thirst?_" Kep asked.

"_I do need to eat. What is that…odd taste in my mouth?_" Kessin blinked.

"_A form of liquid food. Be glad you didn't taste the dry stuff,_" Kilnak chuckled. "_I am Kilnak. My mate is a Land Dweller named Nikki. Her sire was the one that helped you._ Nikki, he needs to eat something. Tell Lisa, please? Soft fish is best."

"I gave over something," Kep nodded. "Um, soft crab."

"Lisa! He's hungry! Soft food!" Nichole said. Lisa was quick to offer him some fried up lobster fats, steamed soft-shelled crab and lobster meat. He was amazed at the flavors, and he readily ate it all down. Kep did have him eat a couple of the soft-shelled crabs he caught alive and raw, too. Joel watched him with a small nod to show that he was doing well. When he moved to reach for the bandaged tail, Kessin instinctively pulled it away. Joel stopped and rose up his hands. That had Kessin remember that this was a healer. With a form of reluctance, he straightened himself out to be examined.

"_He only wishes to check how the wound was healing. He pulled out two sharp teeth and sealed the wounds closed. He was able to give you more water, too. Do you recall what happened?_" Kep asked. Various pod members now gathered around to hear the tale. Kilnak was ready to translate for Nichole's family. It was when the seaweed wrapping was pulled away that Kessin saw exactly how bad the attack was. He was in shock that a human helped him pull through. Blinking away the horror of what he just saw, he refocused on recalling what happened.

"_I was swimming. Searching, as you know,_" Kessin thought as the memories surfaced. "_I had chased down a fish. The next thing I knew, I felt myself get slammed down. I saw the cloud of blood and felt the pain. When I screamed, the Fin Folk were close and heard me. They aided me and drew away the attacking flesh eater. They helped me breathe from the surface and brought me to you. I do not know how far away I was. It was…hard to tell after the attack._"

"Hmm," Joel thought after Kilnak told them what happened. "When I saw the wound, the blood had already sealed off, but you were very malnourished. You were likely slipping in and out of an unconscious shock. The teeth had to be surgically removed with a scalpel, so the tissue had started to heal over them. I can only judge that a day or two went by. Your body was already trying to draw from itself to heal. It was very dangerous."

"_Yes,_" Kessin responded after the translation. "_Thank you. For helping me. I'm still very tired. I feel very weak, too._"

"_That is expected. Rest for as long as you need to,_" Kep nodded. The wounded merman nodded back and reclined on the bed of soft seaweed under him. Sleep claimed him rather quickly. Joel now applied a numbing antiseptic to the bite wound, and he checked over each stitch carefully. He was making sure that the seaweed was dissolving naturally as the muscle healed over. It was bandaged up again with new seaweed and he nodded to himself. The wound was healing with no infections.

At the ringing phone, he answered it. "Hello, Joel speaking. Bobby! Yes? Okay. Really? All right. I'll meet them there! Kilnak, Bobby said that the construction crew just left for the island. We have about an hour. He probably had to give them the coordinates to get here."

"That's fine. We'll have our own precautions," Kilnak nodded. When Joe's phone rang again, he answered it with a small roll of his eyes. At who it was, his attitude changed in full to more neutrality.

"Hello? Ah, hello, Michael. Yes, for the security. Okay. I'm having the construction crew coming out today. Yes. That's fine. Tomorrow? I'll be here. Bye. That was the appraiser that was out here for the island before. He has an idea for security measures and will be coming out with some blueprints. He was talking to me about it before, and he thinks he has something even more solid. He can get someone out here to work on that the moment he sends out some decent measurements. This week is gonna be just as busy as last week. I can feel it," Joel muttered.

"What do you plan to do about Rick?" Lisa asked. She had just finished serving out the last of the food with Josh helping her.

"I'm gonna have to talk to him. Let him meet one of you, too. How do you want to do go about this? I mean, like I said, I can't do much on my own. With a second set of hands, I'll have more leverage in various areas. If a merman comes to me ripped in half and hanging on to life by small threads, I'm going to need that extra set of hands. I hope it won't come to that, though," Joel sighed.

"I will meet with him," Kep nodded. "Find out when he comes in. You can bring him to us."

"Yes," Tessoo said with a nod. "Like he say."

"If you agree with it, then fine. I'll go with it," Joel nodded back. His phone rang yet again, but it was Josue. "Hello! Excellent! The coral will work? Wonderful. Good! I'm glad the faulty pearl was replaceable. Ah, you can send any future pearl shipments to Bobby. He can bring them to where I am. Yes, just like now. Great. You do? How big? Consider it paid for. Ah, I'll need you to give it to Bobby. I'll tell him to pay for it, and I'll pay him back. Thanks!"

"What did you agree to buy?" Kilnak grinned.

"A two inch black pearl," Joel grinned back. Now Kilnak was nodding with definite approval. Then he thought and looked at Nichole. At her look of disbelief, he smiled.

"I want that pearl in a ring setting for her," Kilnak mused. "With diamonds and gold. Maybe with small pearl accents."

"No!" she hissed.

"It's my birthday gift to you. You can't complain!" he snickered. That got Joel laughing with the others. The call was made to Josue, a price was given and accepted.

"Bobby, you available?" Joel asked on the new phone call out.

"Yep! What's up?" Bobby asked.

"Kilnak just got Nichole a birthday present. If you could pay for it for me, I'll give you the funds back. It's about four grand in total," Joel said.

"That's…a very pricey gift!" Bobby whistled.

"Black pearl, small pearls, diamonds and gold. A ring," Joel chuckled. "Kilnak insisted."

"How about an exchange of treasure instead?" Bobby asked.

"Kilnak! Will a treasure exchange work?" Joel asked.

"I have a solid gold cup with rough gems that I can see as a good trade. Will that work?" Kilnak asked. At the agreement done, the cup was retrieved, inspected and set aside. Grynkar was hunting along the reef of another island when he found a pleasant surprise. At a call sent to the temporary island, various dolphins appeared to see what he found.

"_I found more yellow ore! Look,_" he said and pointed to some small coins spilling from a crevice. The island chain was hidden pirate cache, and the dolphins knew it. They sent out the call for the Merfolk pod to appear and help gather it up. They set various things on the temporary beach for inspection. Annie was in shock at how much they found. As she looked over the small rings brought up, Tessoo looked at her with a smile.

"You like?" he asked.

"I do," she nodded.

"Hmm. Take one. Wear. Show you mine," he chuckled. She looked over at Kilnak now.

"It's fine. We can get another proper ring for you later. If he wants to give you something, then it's fine. You are his wife now. He can spoil you as he sees fit," Kilnak grinned. She gasped and hugged her husband tight. With his help, they picked out a slender ring with a rough cut diamond. It was very simply made, and even Ashley thought it was odd for such a basic ring to be chosen. She would usually go for the biggest one. It even caught Joel by surprise, but he wasn't going to complain.

Tessoo kissed his wife and suddenly swerved out to the waves with a growl. He kept her behind him as though to shield her from an unknown threat.

"Tessoo?" Annie frowned.

"_What's going on?_" Kilnak asked.

"_I just felt something bad. Very bad!_" Tessoo seethed. The dolphins were now on a strict protective streak as they circled the islands in question. One was a safe haven that was temporarily abandoned. The other had pregnant females and a wounded merman. They had to protect the two islands. Kep swam over to Tessoo to find out more about what he was feeling.

"_How do you feel bad? You need to explain this, or the Fin Folk will attack any and all,_" Kep said calmly. "_Try and explain._"

"_One that wants my mate. I feel that he came back,_" Tessoo growled.

"Joel," Kilnak said carefully. "I remember that you told me that Annie was preoccupied before with someone. When she was last out here. What happened with him?"

"You mean Mitchell?" Joel asked. Annie cringed and Tessoo let out his own roar of hatred. Joel was only too glad that he couldn't roar like Kilnak. "Take it easy! He tried to get pushy on Annie. It's another reason as to why she had her number changed. Bobby told me that Mitchell may want to try and be with her. But, since she's married now, he can't do anything. There's no need to get pissed."

"If my brother is pissed, then there is every reason for concern," Kilnak frowned. "The last time he got this pissed was when he felt that I was under attack by Sernis. My rival. It was because of him that my Sire was able to find me to help me. He only gets pissed if he feels that someone he trusts is under threat. Annie is now his wife. His temper is just short of mine when it comes to protecting her. And he claimed her just last night. If she ends up with his baby, he won't take any chances like me."

"I get it," Joel sighed and made the call to Bobby. "Hey. Please tell me that Mitchell didn't come out. If he did, then Tessoo is pissed off. Annie's now his wife in full."

"Fuck," Bobby sighed. "Yeah, he did. Despite my request not to. If Annie's off the market, he's screwed. He was planning on trying to figure out how to call her. He even asked for your number. I said no. He still thinks she's in Maryland."

"Let him continue to think that," Joel muttered.

"He wants to help with the construction crew. He does know his stuff about various key points of building. Don't worry, though. He's not on the boat. He's here with me," he said quickly.  
>"No. He not," Tessoo glowered and moved to hug Annie tight to him.<p>

"Tessoo says he isn't with you," Joel said.

"WHAT?!" Bobby shouted. "I swear if he…fucking son of a-!"

"Call him. Find out where he is," Joel said carefully. The phone was hung up abruptly, and he let out a heavy sigh. Tessoo was livid. Even his parents had never seen their usually gentle son have such a fit of rage before. He was also newly mated. Kilnak was very much the same way.

"Well, I'm not letting him touch Annie!" Ashley said sternly. "She can stay on the yacht with me if it comes to that. And there goes my phone!"

"Give me the phone," Joel said. "Hello, Joel speaking. Who's this?"

"Um…is Annie there?" a girl asked.

"She's around, but with her husband. Who is this?" he asked again.

"I'm Ellenore."

"Annie, do you know someone named Ellenore?" he asked. He didn't bother to mute the phone.

"Yeah. She had me spoil her, too," Annie sighed.

"How often?" he asked now. The girl on the phone was speechless. She didn't believe the talk that was going on. Now she knew it was all true.

"All the time when we were together," Annie thought aloud. Tessoo hissed and squeezed her to him. If he got on the phone, he'd smash it to pieces.

"My daughter is married and no longer your meal ticket. Don't call my wife. Thanks," Joel said curtly and hung up. "Are you sure I can't just change your number? This is getting ridiculous."

"Oh, fine," Ashley sighed. "I suppose enough is enough."

"It is," he agreed. After the number was changed, all of the phones were updated with the new numbers. When Lisa's phone rang, her jaw dropped. Lotisoo now looked at her with amazement. Even he understood what was happening now. That pissed him off.

"Are you serious?!" she scowled. "Hello? Lisa here."

"Hi! It's Bethany!" the girl giggled.

"Look. I know you've been baiting my sister. Stop it. Grow the fuck up. And don't call me. Don't call my family. We now see this as a form of harassment. Bye," Lisa growled and hung up on her. Josh never gave out his number, but it was decided, in the end, to get their numbers changed, too. Nichole had her number changed already, so she was clear. Joel had to keep his number, but his number was never given out to the nosey girls. If they called, he had every right to threaten to sue them. His phone was used for business.

Right after that, they agreed to have some lunch and wait for the arrival of the construction boat. Tessoo was still on edge. Annie was held in a crushing hold against him, but she didn't mind it. She didn't want to be anywhere else. She was home.


	9. Chapter 9

Back in Maryland and at an indoor mall, several of Annie's old acquaintances were fuming over their new ill-found luck. They couldn't stand the fact that they didn't have someone to dote on them anymore. As much as they wanted to use each other, they knew it wouldn't work. If they tried to find someone else, it wouldn't work, either. Annie was conditioned to be used by them. Something changed and they all hated it. Now they couldn't get ahold of anyone! What could they do?

"Oh! I saw these cute shoes in the window just now! Fifty bucks! That's it! Oh, Annie! Come back and get them for meeee!" a curvy, brown-haired girl with pretty brown eyes whimpered.

"Shut up, Ellenore!" a petite blond with light blue eyes sniffed. "None of their numbers work. I'm sure her dad even changed his number, but he never gave his number out."

"It just doesn't make any sense," a dazzling, slender red-head with deep green eyes thought. "When I called Josh, he said that he was married. That they were all married!"

"So, they just went to the Caribbean and got married? That's weird," the blond blinked. "I mean, Carol, what happened when you talked to Josh? Other than him saying that he didn't date trash."

"Shut up!" she snapped and pouted. "I am not trash!"

"I never said you were!" the blond argued.

"Bethany, just stop," Ellenore sighed. "We need a new plan of action, here! Call Anna-Marie and Maria. Sarah, too. We all need to get together and figure something out."

"Ugh! Fine!" Carol grumbled and sent out the text messages. They had a few hours to kill, since many of them were in salons getting hair and nails done. They decided to browse various websites about the latest fashion designs and gossip on the latest trends in style to pass the time. The first one to arrive was Sarah. She was a slight, spunky, short-haired girl with round, brown eyes and a very cute smile with dimples. Her brown hair was tinged with blond and spiked up randomly in a retro style. She sat with them and seemed just as bummed out as the others.

Ten minutes later, Maria showed up. She was a girl with Hispanic roots with long, curly black hair and beautiful, chocolate brown eyes. Her face was slender and gentle with a deep tan, but she had a rather nasty disposition from being spoiled for her looks. Her figure was a touch robust, but she balanced herself out perfectly with a lot of dancing. She was flaunting her newly painted nails that were red with gold flecks in the paint. She frowned at the others and scoffed, "Oh, come on! We don't need Annie!"

"Who got you the top you're wearing?" Bethany smirked.

"She gave it to me as a gift," Maria said with a frown and straightened the dark blue silk top.

"After you begged. And you told her mother that you never asked for anything. Such a liar! Then you called back and got schooled! By her father and the others! What luck you have, huh?" Carol grinned. At the glare she got back, she sniffed at her. They all got spoiled by Annie. It was when Anna-Marie showed up that they all cringed with jealousy. Only Annie rivaled the Oriental beauty. Her hair was extremely long, jet-black and done up in a bun with sparkling pins. Her slanted brown eyes even seemed to sparkle with a form of hidden delight. Her form was lithe and slender with an exotic smile and a slightly upturned nose. She was the most spoiled out of the lot of them. She was also the most clever. When she sat down, she was already thinking about everything.

"Annie never said no to a competition," the Oriental beauty mused in a sultry tone. "Did she?"

"Not that I know of," Bethany frowned.

"Carol," Anna-Marie asked in her silken voice. "Where did Annie say she was going?"

"The Caribbean. Josh said he got married, too," she frowned.

"Did he? Wow," Anna-Marie was actually caught by surprise at that. "But, they all got married? How does that happen?! Hmm…"

"We can't call anyone. I mean…we should be happy! Annie can't steal the spotlight from us anymore! Right?" Sarah asked. "Yeah, we won't get any more stuff…"

"Don't remind us!" Maria growled.

"It's just not fair!" Ellenore mumbled.

"I have an idea," Anna-Marie grinned softly.

"Oh?" Bethany asked.

"I can see if my parents can influence the board to host a pageant in the Caribbean. Mainly, my Mother. She may take to the idea," she started. At the small beams of intrigue given now, she continued. "My parents do have a few roots somewhere. If Annie is still out there, she would have to show up. Her mother would insist. If there is any of that showmanship left, she should definitely appear."

"If she's married, she could bring her husband," Maria grinned. "I talked to her brother-in-law. He sounded dreamy! I couldn't believe it!"

"He did?" Anna-Marie asked.

"Yes. He also said that his family was very rich. Come to think of it, I talked to Annie's husband, too! Even he sounded fantastic!" Maria blinked. "I mean…why can't I find a rich guy to love me?! That is so unfair!"

"Hmm…" the Oriental girl frowned. She felt outdone. If Annie snagged a rich man, she should be able to as well. It was her right. "I'll talk to my parents tonight and let you all know what happens."

"Okay," Bethany nodded. "We would have to go up against each other, though."

"Nothing new," Ellenore shrugged.

"If we get to go to the Caribbean Islands, too, then I won't care," Sarah giggled.

"Same here," Carol nodded. "We should try and convince all of our parents. Get it in their heads now! Maybe just our Moms."

"I was mildly grounded," Bethany pouted. "I sent off a text message with a piece of my mind."

"I did, too," Sarah shrugged. "We tried to get the better of Annie's mom. She sent the message back to my Mom. It didn't go like I planned."

"No one can get the better of her," Carol grinned.

"Tell me about it!" Ellenore winced.

"So, who's buying lunch?" Anna-Marie asked with a sly smile. "If I'm going to set up this trip for us, I need to keep up my strength…"

"I can do it," Carol sighed. "Small things, though. I only have a hundred on me."

"Sheesh! For all that, I'll buy something for myself," Maria bragged. As they bickered, Anna-Marie only leaned back and chuckled. She always got them to do what she wanted. It was in her blood to be as manipulative as possible. She was a bit worried that Annie was definitely gone, though. If she did get a husband, he would be difficult to snare for herself. Or would he? Whatever Annie had should go to her. Even her trophies, but then she frowned. Annie earned those fairly. Even Annie wouldn't touch a trophy won by another. But, everything else should be free spoils of war.

Another hour went by and she was able to get home with a quick drive. She was in a luxury Mercedes-Benz and enjoyed every inch of the plush, steel-grey car. Of course, it was a rental, but what wasn't these days? She drove up to the small mansion she lived in and walked inside.

"Anna-Marie! There you are!" her mother gushed and kissed her cheek. Her mother was the main source of her Oriental beauty. Her family was well known for having stunning family members. "I was looking for you! I was thinking we could go into town for dinner."

"Mother, before we go anywhere, I wanted to talk to you. I want to go to another pageant. But, where I want to go, it doesn't exist yet," her daughter pouted with her lovely face. Her mother hated it when she pouted! She had to know what her daughter wanted to do.

"Oh, my dear! Where do you want to go?" she crooned with comfort.

"I thought it would be a beautiful pageant set up in the Caribbean! With the wind in my hair and the crowds there…" the wily girl started to draw out the mental picture.

"Hmm. That is a long ways away," her mother frowned. "And it could be costly."

"But, Mother! It would be my dream!" she said with more pouting fits. "It _is_ my dream!"

"All right! I'll call Elizabeth and see what her board can do. If it's out of their budget, then you can't say that I didn't try. If they like it, then funds would need to be raised," her mother sighed with defeat. "I'll make the call right now. It's still early in the day."

"I love you!" she said with a giggle. Her mother kissed her beautiful daughter's forehead and went to make the call. Anna-Marie smirked and went into her lavish room of Italian furnished teak wood and Victorian lace sheets and curtains. Her armoire was much like Annie's was being overflowing with fake, glittery jewelry, cases of makeup and wide mirrors set at every angle. "Oh, yes, Annie. I will see you again. You have my word. And your husband will belong to me…"

She gave a wicked grin and looked over at where her mother knocked on the door.

"The pageant council pounced on the idea! They were all having lunch and trying to figure out where to do the next one. We'll need to raise twenty thousand dollars, though. It will be the only way to do it. I tried to call Ashley, but her number is no longer working. I know she would help, too. What can I…oh! I know! I'll send her an email! I'm sure that didn't change!" her mother beamed. Her daughter watched her leave and grinned. Everything was coming together beautifully.


	10. Chapter 10

The building crew was at the main island and already making measurements. Mitchell was trying to catch a ride with another boat, but Bobby had hauled him back and forced him to do accounting files that were reserved for Ashley. If he was going to stay with his father, then he was being put to work. Ashley was enjoying some cooked lobster when her phone went off to show she had a new email. On opening it, she blinked at the news.

"Joel," she said to her husband. "You're not going to believe this…"

"What?" her husband asked over his opened beer. He hadn't left yet, since he wanted a drink first. He always had a beer before doing anything with construction. The light buzz helped him get past the irritation that he couldn't really build anything without help.

"Anna-Marie's mother just sent me an email. A pageant has been decided to be hosted out here! In the Caribbean!" she winced. Joel spat out his beer with disbelief. Annie's face paled. Tessoo was now getting a very nasty vibe from this news.

"Not safe," he said with a shake of his head.

"No. Not safe at all," Annie swallowed.

"You no go," he nodded. She nodded, too, and snuggled into him with a trembling whimper.

"Why now?!" Joel snapped. The beer was clearly forgotten.

"I don't know!" Ashley fretted. "She says they need twenty grand to get it going. I don't know who's lame-brained idea it was to even suggest such a thing!"

"I know who," Annie frowned. "Mom, who sent you the email?"

"Anna-Marie's mom! Oh. You think it was Anna-Marie?!" she asked with surprise.

"Yeah. I think it was. She comes up with ideas of where to put pageants all the time, too. And all of them are successful. Even you know that. And with me gone, I'm sure she had gotten the idea to do it out here. I mean…I've never missed a pageant ever!" Annie frowned.

"You're gonna miss this one," Josh smirked.

"Well, they still need to raise the funds," Lisa frowned.

"It doesn't matter. I don't even feel the need to go, anyways. I'm sure it's just a way for them to confront me and find out why I ditched them all. I really don't feel safe anywhere else," Annie admitted. Tessoo nodded to her and continued to hug her to him.

"And with Mitchell being out here wanting a glamour wife of his own…" Joel muttered.

"Wait," Nichole mused. "That's why he wants Annie?"

"Yes. Why?" Joel asked.

"I have an idea," Nichole grinned and nuzzled her husband for his attention. "We can become private benefactors. Anonymous funders. Let them come out while Mitchell is still here. Let him pick one of them. He'll be so awed over them, that he may as well forget about Annie completely."

"That is the most evil thing you've ever thought of. I like it," Joel grinned.

"If it gets Mitchell away from Annie…" Kilnak mused. Tessoo was grinning widely now. "Do it. We'll fund the whole damned thing. We found more treasure, so that's not an issue to replace what we spend. I also want to make a prize worthy of them to dress up to look their absolute best. What's normally given as a reward?"

"Sometimes a small fake crown with some cash. The cash can range between ten to fifty thousand dollars. Annie won quite a few pageants, but the money was being saved for her college. She has almost a hundred thousand saved up," Ashley smiled.

"I had that much and you didn't tell me?!" Annie gaped.

"Nope! I guess you can have some access to it, since you're a married woman now," she thought.

"No. Emergency backup only," Joel said quickly. Annie started to pout, but Tessoo's warm smile made her nod. There was no need for her to have money anymore. He provided for her now.

"Let's make a real crown," Kilnak grinned. "But, the real one is going to Nikki. We'll have a fake one made in its place to be given away."

"No!" Nichole scowled at his grin. "Just make a fake cheap one with overdone designs."

"And you will have the real one," he said. At her glare, he argued, "You came up with this idea! You get the real trophy! Let them keep the fake crap! And it's another birthday present from me, so you can't say no to it. I'm sure Josue can help us."

"You suck!" she said with a cringing look. The others laughed hard.

"It will be the 'ultimate' pageant crown," he said, and he started to grin at the idea. "Annie, you'll need to give me some good design ideas, okay? You can sketch out some designs in the sand."

"Okay," she nodded. "Um, what about prize money?"

"Joe, how much money do we have left that we can use right now?" Kilnak asked.

"Hmm," Joel frowned and looked up the banking records. "We just sold a small cache of treasure. We have well over two hundred grand. We'll have more if we sell more."

"Good. Make the winning prize fifteen grand in cash. I want the crown to look like it's worth well over twenty grand. I want the fake to look just like the real one. Take pictures of the real one to show it's authentic, but have the fake one on display to win," Kilnak snickered.

"Why do that?" Doug frowned. He wanted to go to the island to help the builders, but Sitari convinced him to stay with her. She didn't want him to leave without Joel, too.

"All of those girls appear to be as fake as they come," Kilnak shrugged. "You showed me what a pageant show was like from an online clip. What more is there for me to say?"

"Very true," Josh nodded. He was busy massaging Kina's shoulders and enjoying the sounds she gave off. She clearly needed the work done. Now Kilnak looked at Nichole and shivered at the massage she started to give his shoulders. He was definitely overdue for one.

"We'll talk more later," Kilnak muttered as he rested on the damp beach. Lotisoo gave a hopeful look at Lisa, and she smiled before gesturing for him to lay back on his belly. When Tessoo looked at Annie curiously, she blushed.

"I'm not sure I know how," she started.

"Just have him lay down next to Kilnak. I'll show you what to do. It's easy," Nichole chuckled.

"Okay," Annie nodded. Kilnak told his brother what to do in regards to laying down. Now Annie was taught how to massage. Tessoo gave out a deep sigh of relief at the feeling.

"They'll need it a lot more," Joel frowned. "Doug, you may as well massage your wife, too."

"Right," Doug nodded and had Sitari lay back with the others. He was a touch more careful from her wounded tail, but the reaction she gave was the same. Intense relief from the stress removed in her deeper muscles. Ashley grinned and went to work on her husband now.

"I don't need it!" Joel scowled.

"Nonsense! Just shut up and let me pamper you for once!" she giggled. He rolled his eyes, but found himself succumbing to it, too. "Wow! Maybe I should book you for some massage therapy. You're just one giant knot in your back!"

"Quiet!" he grumbled. She found herself getting pulled down and tickled.

"Joel! That's not funny! Stop it!" she gasped from the bouts of laughter. Now the kids were sputtering their laughter. Then he gave a spank to her bottom and grinned at the rewarded glare.

"Totally worth it," he snickered. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. He rose a brow at her and said, "You aren't allowed to get mad at me. We've spent over twenty years together. We've had five kids. I've earned my right to do goofy things to you every now and then."

"Well, I'm still in my prime," she smiled. "Maybe we should have kid number six."

"No," he said flat out. Kilnak looked up from the sand and grinned.

"I have eight siblings under me," he chuckled.

"Shut up!" Joel snapped to get the merman laughing.

"Now nine," Kep chuckled. Kilnak suddenly rose up from the sand to stare at him.

"_Matriarch?! Is this true?!_" Kilnak asked. Mirn swam over with Soosnik, and they were both grinning softly. Now Tessoo was leaning up with a form of surprise.

"_Well, with how you and Nikki were, we had to see if we could try again,_" Mirn smiled.

"_The full moon dances are for being together,_" his sire chuckled.

"Joel," Ashley smiled.

"No! I'm done raising kids!" he said with a shake of his head. "And I'm going to have a swarm of grandkids soon, too. There is no need for more kids. Just wait nine months."

"Oh, all right," she sighed. Then he stood up and growled something in her ear to make her blush. She was already taking contraceptives and proved they worked whenever they had time to be together alone. He gave her a wolfish grin and even gave her his own loving kiss to keep her happy.

"I do love you, but I'm done raising kids. Grandkids are another thing. Okay?" he smiled. She nodded and got another kiss. He sighed heavily and went back to his beer.

"You and your booze," she smirked at him. He made a face back at her and sipped his beer.

"Oh, Dad," Annie said and sat up on her husband's back. "Um, can you ask Kilnak what I want to do? If he can help me?"

"Oh, yes!" Joel nodded. Kilnak looked over with a small smile. "Annie would like to take some cooking lessons. She thinks that she can help benefit with a gourmet restaurant to serve up what we catch. Bobby would be all for it if it worked out."

"Hmm. That does sound promising," Kilnak admitted.

"I could teach Nikki what I learn, too," Annie smiled.

"Now I really like that idea," Kilnak grinned. Even Tessoo gave a chuckle.

"I figured you could help her for funds with one course. See how it goes. She also has her pageant money, so it could go towards that, too," Joel said.

"I'll help with the first course. If it goes well, I'll take care of the second. For each course she does well in, I'll help her advance. If she does poorly, she uses her money," Kilnak nodded.

"That's fair," Lisa nodded.

"Very fair," Josh agreed. Doug seemed to frown. He wasn't sure what was going to happen to him and what he wanted to learn.

"The same will go to the rest of you," Kilnak nodded. That brought small bits of chuckles and sighs of relief to them. "Just do well in your studies."

"Doug no stop!" Sitari growled when the massaging ceased. He smirked, bent down and whispered softly to her. Then she let out a small squeal at the nibble to her neck. "Bad Doug!"

"Telling me to stop?" he grinned. At her look of surprise, Kilnak burst into laughter. Then he coughed when Nichole ran a hard lick up his neck. At the glare he gave her, she beamed at him.

"Nikki," Annie said with a small thought. "Can I try something with you?"

"Like what?" she asked.

"Tessoo, I left my purse on the boat. Can you help me get it?" Annie smiled. She whispered to him, and her husband looked at her with amusement.

"Look nice for me, too?" he smiled.

"Okay," she nodded. Kilnak now looked at his wife with a smug grin.

"You want to give me a makeover. Don't you?" Nichole winced.

"Well, the sun gave you an awesome tan! I honestly think that you may be prettier than me now. So, I want to test a theory. I still have my emergency makeup kit with me. I never cleaned my purse out. Will you please let me do this for you? Kilnak can judge, too!" she begged.

"Do it," Kilnak grinned. At Nichole's jaw dropping with disbelief, he pulled her close. "Remember what I said before? How I wanted you to look nice for me whenever you could?"

"Okay…" she sighed with defeat. "Hurry up, Annie!"

"I should get a makeover, too!" Lisa grinned. Lotisoo was all for it. Joel was laughing quietly. As Annie went to the yacht, Grynkar swam over to Kep.

"_I have been watching the Land Dwellers around our surface. They are working efficiently. I am concerned over one, though. He seems to be looking for things,_" Grynkar frowned.

"_Is that so? Have the Fin Folk try and pester him. They may be able to see what can be done. And make sure he is not moving any of the growing cling rocks,_" Kep said wisely.

"_We moved all that we could away first. This also goes for all of the yellow ore stored there. But, yes, I will ask the Fin Folk for aid,_" the scout nodded and swam off.

"Joe," Kep said as he swam over. "Grynkar was concerned."

"About what?" Joel asked. Kilnak now looked over with a frown.

"One of the men seemed to be trying to look for things," Kep said slowly.

"He could also be checking the structure of the island to ensure it can be drilled into," Joel said calmly. "If it isn't strong enough to support what we need, then we would need to improvise."

"Okay," Kep nodded.

"Now, if he's snooping, as in trying to find stuff," Joel said. "I'll punch him in the face."

"As long as I can watch," Kilnak muttered.

"Deal," Joel smiled. He now watched Tessoo return with Annie, and she was holding her massive purse up high to keep it from getting wet. Once on the beach, she started to take out her cosmetics to set them around her. The other pod members were quite curious about this.

"Okay. Who's first?" Annie smiled.

"Me first," Lisa said.

"It should be Nikki," Kilnak said.

"Just see how it's done with me first, okay?" Lisa smiled.

"Let her," Lotisoo grinned.

"Fine," Kilnak nodded.

"Annie after," Tessoo smiled. Kilnak was about to complain, but he relented when his brother gave a small growl. He wanted to see his wife looking nice for him. And it was her makeup. Nichole chuckled and nuzzled her husband to calm him.

"Good things come to those who wait, you know. You saw me prettied up before," she smiled.

"Not with this," Kilnak smiled back. She rolled her eyes and laughed at the tickling side poke. He pulled her close after that and nuzzled her. "Love Nikki."

"Love Kilnak," she sighed and cuddled into him. He rocked her with a small smile on his face. He was very grateful for that humidifier. As much as it made the others sweat, it helped him and his pod out immensely. A kiss was placed on his mouth, and he pulled her into a long kiss that lasted all the way up until it was her turn. On looking at Annie and Lisa, he was impressed. Tessoo and Lotisoo were both speechless at how they turned out. They only had eyes on their own wives, though.

Now Kilnak watched the transformation of his wife. The base makeup was put on first to lightly cover up any blemishes. A touch of eye liner, a hint of mascara and a light brush of eye shadow was applied next. A tinge of blush to her cheeks was given, and a faint amount of lipstick was rubbed on her lips. When Nichole sighed and turned to see him, he paused with complete shock. She was completely stunning. Even Joel was surprised. Lisa let her sister look in a mirror to see for herself.

"I told you that you looked better than me now!" Annie grinned.

"Wow…" Nichole whispered.

"I should so do your hair!" she said.

"No!" Nichole said with a shake of her head.

"Do it," Kilnak nodded. Then he grinned at his wife's scowl. Annie beamed and got out her comb and brush to work on her sister's hair.

"You should cut your hair from all the swimming you're doing," Lisa grinned.

"No!" Kilnak said with a mild glare of amusement. "I like her hair. She keeps it."

"Thanks," Nichole chuckled and winced at a tangle. An untangling conditioner was sprayed in her hair now and brushed out even more. When it was smoothed out, Annie began to skillfully work it up into a spiraled and braided bun. Sticking a silver and crystal hairpin in it to keep it there, she grinned at her work. It felt good to work on her sister's hair. It was even better to see Kilnak's reaction to her.

"Annie, you are fully forgiven by doing this for me. And I'm sorry for calling you a stupid monkey behind your back," Kilnak nodded. Annie nodded at first. Then she gasped at what he said, and Lisa died laughing with Nichole. Doug and Josh lost it after that.

"You did call him a fish," Joel grinned.

"So did you," Kilnak said with a mild glare. That got him rewarded with a small shrug. When the glare went to Ashley next, she blushed and giggled.

"Annie is my stupid monkey," Tessoo said. Now they all died laughing, and Annie was gaping at her husband with shock. When Kilnak breathlessly told him what it meant, Tessoo dropped his jaw with complete surprise. He had no idea that it was an insult. "Um…sorry…"

"It's okay…" Annie said with a tight smile. "You didn't know."

"No," Tessoo winced. She knew he didn't know, and she forgave him with a soft kiss.

"I know you feel bad," she said. She found herself laughing over it. "Now you have to make it up to me with a massage. Okay?"

"Okay," he nodded. Kilnak was still laughing as Lisa showed Tessoo what to do. Lotisoo was even sniggering softly as he was given a massage to show his cousin how to massage Annie.

"You have to admit that that was a priceless moment!" Joel laughed.

"No. Priceless was watching my companion splash water on her," Kilnak grinned.

"That wasn't funny!" Annie scowled. Then she squealed when his companion did just that.

"_I help!_" he chittered. A mackerel was tossed to him in appreciation as the laughter kicked up even more. Only after they calmed down a bit was Annie able to be heard.

"I just did my hair!" she cringed. "And my makeup!"

"It's not that bad," Lisa grinned. "And hair can dry. You can put makeup back on, too."

"I know…" she sighed. "It's a habit with me. You know? You just get the hair done, and you don't want it to get messed up. Same with everything else. That's all."

"Of course," Ashley grinned. Josh was still chuckling as he cradled his wife. She was resting her head against his shoulder. She was feeling queasy, but she was laughing, too. On noticing this, Ashley grabbed a bottle of mint oil to light up over a burner. The scent in the air was quick to ease many ailments of queasiness. "We'll need to get more of this. If this helps everyone that gets morning sickness, then it will need to be constantly lit up."

"Yeah, you're right," Joel nodded.

"And that reminds me! Nikki, sweetie, I brought you a present," Ashley beamed.

"You did?" Nichole smiled. Kilnak looked over curiously at the small yellow square wrapped in plastic. Nichole squealed with a form of childish delight at the sight of raw honeycomb.

"I was going to save it for your birthday, but I know this will help you with your pregnancy," Ashley laughed. "I'll cut this up for you."

"Hurry up!" Nikki urged. "Kilnak, that's honeycomb. Remember the clip about bees that I showed you? How honey was made?"

"Ah! Yes, I remember. I get to taste it, too, right?" he smiled.

"Yes," she nodded. There were a few blocks purchased, but only one was cut up into small cubes. This was now shared between her and Kilnak, and he was in shock at how good it was.

"I found this, too," Ashley grinned. She brought out a small box of chocolate covered honeycomb squares. A few of these were eaten next with a form of giddy childish delight. Kilnak was very impressed, but he didn't like how it stuck in his teeth. Nichole smiled at him and nuzzled into him with a sigh of contentment. He hugged her tight and cuddled her back. A small groan had them looking over to where Kessin was resting. He was coming back around, and Joel was quick to evaluate him.

"Easy," Joel muttered. "I need water and soft food for him, please."

"Here," Lisa said, and she handed over a few living soft-shelled crabs. A bottle of water was brought over next, and Kessin stared at it curiously. Joel showed how to drink from it with a different one, and the water was now taken in.

"_It's different, isn't it?_" Kilnak chuckled to him. "_Don't worry. You are recovering faster than others would. I have heard nothing from your pod yet._"

"_It is fine,_" Kessin sighed and reclined against the soft seaweed. "_I guess I was lucky to have been brought to your pod. I…would like to join it. I owe these Land Dwellers much._"

"_You wish to join our pod?_" Kep mused. He sent out a call for the females in the pod. Kilnak's younger sister and Lotisoo's sisters appeared. It was Lotisoo's older sister that took a distinct concern for him. When their eyes met, the others knew that they were a match.

"_Treat her well,_" Lotisoo nodded. "_If you wish to join us, then we don't mind._"

"_You have my vow,_" Kessin nodded back. Grynkar was now called on to evaluate the new pod member, and even he approved. His mate also approved of this. Since he had survived such a horrific shark wound, and had survived on his own for so long, he had proved his worth. He didn't have a pearl for her, but one was easily provided. He was amazed.

"Joel, can we move him to one of the spare pools with a water branch? This way they can be together, and she can help care for him? It may be better, since the humidifier is keeping the back of the shelter pretty moist," Kilnak said. It was quickly done. Joel directed Josh and Doug on how to carefully ease the wounded merman into an unclaimed pool. His new mate was now able to swim through the island water tunnel to be with him and keep him company. She could help monitor him and change out various seaweed linings if needed.

"_Don't worry. We will make everything better,_" she smiled.

"_I think it already got better for me,_" Kessin smiled back. He was quite handsome and strong to her. She would do everything she could to help him live. Joel wanted to keep Kessin calm, so he now taught her how to apply various salves when they were needed. If he could avoid touching him to keep the stress down, then he'd rather do that. He would only take over if the need was great.

"What is your name in case I need to call on you?" Joel asked her. She knew just enough to talk to him, and she thought over what he said.

"Ah, Liksee," she smiled. He nodded to her and handed her the new seaweed to wrap around Kessin's wound. Joel showed her how to check the wound and how to tell if something was wrong. Kilnak was able to help translate the harder parts. His dolphin companion was only there as a backup communicator now, but that was fine. It was when the dolphin Elder appeared to slap her tail on the water to show her irritation at something that all focus went to her.

"_Bad one comes. Need help. More help. Come?_" she asked with soft clicks.

"_He still showed up,_" Tessoo growled. Sitari narrowed her eyes, and Lotisoo looked over with complete confusion. Kilnak gave out a hard sigh.

"_Who showed up? The one for Annie?_" he asked his brother.

"_No. This is the one that was looking around our surface. He decided to come here. To see what he could find. He's a ways off right now,_" Tessoo said.

"Joel, the builder that was snooping is swimming here," Kilnak said.

"Are you shitting me?!" he scowled. "Can the dolphins push him back?"

"_Is the Land Dweller on a device? Why is it hard to make him leave?_" Kilnak frowned.

"_Is dangerous. Bad. One that take things. Hurt us,_" the Elder dolphin explained.

"It sounds like this guy is a coral harvester. He likely posed as a worker to get close to the island chains. We already moved much of the coral, so now he's branching out to find other islands," Kilnak said as he pieced things together. "If he comes here, he'll get killed."

Joel was already on the phone to Bobby. "Hey, Bobby. One of the workers may be one of the coral harvesters. He abandoned his post, so to speak, and he's getting closer to me."

"Seriously? I swear, if it's not one thing, then it's another! I wonder…" Bobby mused.

"What?" Joel asked. He put the phone on speaker now. He felt the pod needed to know this.

"I think this is the same guy that tried to mutiny. He apologized and was allowed a second chance to help the building crew. If the guy looks a bit short in the neck with bleached hair and black eyes, you'll know it's him. If he responds to the name Carl, then you'll definitely know," Bobby said. "If it is him, send him back. And I want him to be dressed up in seaweed and fish guts!"

"Sharks are all over the place. If you want fish guts on him, then that's no problem!" Kilnak chuckled. "We can have a dolphin drop him off halfway."

"Do you have me on speaker?" Bobby laughed. "All right. Of course, if he gets sent back to the building crew, they'll likely make him work. If he snoops again, send him to me. Oh, Kilnak, Josue started on the trident. He is very happy with the coral sample you gave him."

"Good. Oh! I need to ask you something else," Kilnak said with a touch of seriousness.  
>"Hmm. When you sound like that, I'm all ears," he replied. The issue with the pageant was now brought up and the idea of what to do was given. When Bobby learned of what they wanted to do with Mitchell, he almost died laughing. "Are you serious?! Well, it would be one way to keep Mitchell out of your hair! And he could get the best pick. Who do you think would work for him?"<p>

"Well," Annie said. "If he wants a completely spoiled glamour girl, it would have to be Anna-Marie. It was likely her idea to do all this. She's really rotten to the core, though."

"She tried to threaten me!" Ashley scowled. "She's never gotten the spanking she needed!"

Tessoo just gave out a small hiss and cradled his wife. He looked out over the water and bared his teeth. He could sense someone getting closer. Since the island wasn't enclosed in rocks, it was easy to see a splashing figure swimming over. It was doubtful that he noticed that the island was occupied.

"Bobby, we'll have to call you back," Kilnak said. "The intruder is closing in."

"Try and send him back alive," Bobby said. "Or back to the building site."

"No promises," Kilnak said bluntly. "Any that stray from where they need to be are at risk."

"I know," Bobby agreed. "Let me know what happens."

"We will," Joel said. The call was disconnected shortly after. Various pod members now swam into the waves to get a closer look at the intruder.

"_What we do?_" Kilnak's companion clicked.

"_Make more movement. Force the Land Dweller back,_" Kep said. "_Use our tails to make a stronger force at a distance. Many cannot move forward if too much is done._"

"_That is true,_" Grynkar nodded. A wall of Merfolk now formed from the pod and started to make forceful movements with their tails to make a rather strong current. The dolphins helped by keeping track of where the human tried to move. He already started to get nervous by being out in the open water and surrounded by dolphins. When the waves started to get choppy from the sudden current, he had to turn back. The human was not happy with the change of plans, but now he thought that something had to be on the island. If a strong current was moving around it, then there had to be something past it.

"He leaves now. But not safe," Tessoo muttered. He was watching the retreating human in the distance from the safety of the shallow beach. Annie was pressed up against his back.

"Well, it's doubtful if he will. I'm sure that Bobby let the building coordinator know," Joel smirked. His thoughts were quite correct. The man was now seen as a liability. The moment he got back to the island, he was questioned as to where he was and given the task of heavy lifting. He wasn't going to be able to leave their sight for the rest of the building operation. He was an able body, and his help was not going to be cast aside. They needed all the manpower they could get. Bobby had definitely informed them, and he warned them to keep tabs on the guy at all times.

"Hmm," Kilnak thought. "Do they plan to return to the mainland?"

"You would think so for more supplies," Joel nodded.

"See if they can leave stuff in bulk there. My pod may be able to speed up the underwater building. If they can lay out the guidelines and leave their blueprints behind, we may be able to pick up the slack. What do you think?" Kilnak asked. A phone call to Bobby was quickly made, and the new plans were given to him.

"I actually like that idea," Bobby said. "Doug should learn a bit before that, though. Can he get to them? Would it be possible?"

"I can take him on the yacht. Maybe swim it out a bit and make it look like we were fishing. It can work. We can do that now," Joel said and stopped the call. "Sitari, I know you want Doug with you, but he has to help with the house now. He has to learn. I'll be with him. Liksee knows how to work with Kessin. If anything big happens to him, you will need to get me."

"Okay," Sitari nodded. Grynkar would also be watching from a distance.

"Maybe some of my pod should watch how Doug works under the water," Kilnak thought. "This way they will know how to work with the equipment, too. They could even watch others that have more experience. If we are to build fish enclosures, this will be needed. At least I think it's needed. "

"Yeah, it will be," Joel agreed. "Who will be willing to learn at a distance?"

Lotisoo optioned to learn. Several other pod males agreed, too. The dolphins would ensure that they could see at a safe distance. Kilnak's companion would be crucial here. He helped Kilnak get close to Nichole at first. He would know the best distance. The building crew also knew that dolphins congregated there. Many of the dolphins had already appeared to check them out. A few of the workers even had some fish on them to show that they meant no harm. Bobby had suggested it to keep the dolphins calm, and it easily worked like a charm.

The workers that were trying to construct stronger pillars under the island were amazed at how helpful the dolphins were, too. If a tool was dropped, it was quickly retrieved. A reward of fish was quickly given over. The pod wanted this safe haven built quickly. The faster it was done, the sooner the humans would leave. There wasn't much shape to it yet, but it was only because dimension size was being gathered. They needed to know how much they could work with to drill into.

Scaffolds were built into the outer rock lining to give a deeper detail of what was safe to use against the currents. The scaffolds could also work as a form of docks for the boats. They could even stay as a permanent structure. The island needed a docking system, and the scaffolds would work perfectly. From where the scaffolds were, specialized floating bridges were constructed to gain access to the beach for easy transport. They could take that with them, but Joel actually liked them. It gave him ideas for future visitors, and he planned to purchase some in the near future.

The builders also knew the specialized rock formations needed to stay. It kept prying eyes out, and they wanted to keep the natural privacy wall. With the amount of money they were being paid, they were sticking to the guideline rule. Try to keep it looking as natural and unchanged as possible above the water. Salvage as much of the natural terrain as possible. When it came to housing designs, a small hut was easy to build on top. Like Nichole wanted, it would serve as a small lookout station. Under the hut was where all the real living quarters would be in the island.

At first, the men were a bit questionable at the tubes of water that were to be built in. When Bobby told them that it was possible escape routes, it was a bit more believable. When they were reminded that it shouldn't matter because they were being paid to build it, they stopped asking questions. Kilnak wanted the tubes to have special codes to be punched in on the outside. Only legit pod members would know the sequence. Steel doors would open to allow entrance after that. He already had the visual in mind. It was just watching everything take hold.

He also planned to not use traditional numbers for the coding. He was going to use pictures and engravings. He got the idea from how Nichole first used drawings to try and talk to him. It would be harder to crack, and it would force the intruders to try and figure out what they were looking at. Much of the engravings would be based on touch. It would be like Braille. The Merfolk did use touch as a main sense of navigation. Another code idea he got was from low sound. If the button pressed was correct, a very low vibration would be given instead of a high-pitched beep. A human wouldn't be able to hear such a low tone or know how to feel for the vibration.

Nichole had recorded everything down from what he said. Joel was simply in shock at how fool-proof it all was. Even Bobby was amazed. Kilnak would work on the frequency level when he learned how to do it. He also planned to have the code change each time. It would never be the same pattern. It was true that he may have to guess the sequence each time, but the low frequency would help him figure it out. The code would change daily. An alarm system with low vibration signals could even be rigged if someone tried to get past the security ring outside the island. Vibrations traveled just as much as sound did. That would be discussed when Michael came back out with his group.

Another main concern for the housing was the room structures. Nichole had an idea for honeycomb levels, but it was unsure. If the structure was built like a box, it would be possible. Even as a sphere, but a box would be more feasible. If it was a three-tiered tube, it could also work. A one floor underground home seemed to be the best resort. The rooms could be designed in a circular way for maximum space, and a smaller basement room could be done for storage. Right now, they had to work on outer structural possibilities.

It was judged that a ten-foot depth would work best for concealment. The outside of the underwater bunker would be camouflaged to blend in with the water. The entrances would also need to be disguised fairly well. Kilnak was able to see various subterranean places to make a judgment, and he had lightly drawn out his ideas in the damp sand. Of course, when Nikki put her hand over his larger webbed one to stop him and change something, they both looked at each other and blushed. It was something that also happened when they first met, and the nostalgia of the moment caught them by surprise. The kiss they shared next proved it.

They both agreed that two entrances should be made. Both would be wide enough for through traffic, if it was needed. They would also loop through the whole building with entrances to each room in the form of various entry pools. Two fish reefs with specialized parasite cleansing fish would be set up just before they reached the entrances. This would help remove parasites and other blemishes naturally. It was likely that another reef would be set up in the place Joel planned to set up his medical equipment, too. It was also likely that it would be a giant saltwater aquarium pool. Fish were known to help pick off infected skin to keep wounds clean, and it would be a natural form of medication for the Merfolk and dolphin pods. The housing structure would be a place of complete safety for them to heal and rest.

In the end, it was decided on a two-story circular structure to be built. The water passages and reefs would take up the lower floor, and viable living space would take up the top floor. A total of eight rooms would be done for living, kitchen, bedrooms, storage and bathrooms. Plumbing would be tricky with filtration, but it could be done. The treasure being sold and the fish market stall were already turning a nice profit. Lionfish were plentiful and quite popular. There was even a tuna that was given over to be cut up for large chunks to be sold at varying prices.

"I was thinking of the island house to be like a small, one room cottage. Like a college dorm room," Nichole smiled. "It could be used as a small guest house. The way under the island would be under a special set of floor tiles. I'd say it could be accessed under the bed, but that would be too obvious. I'm not sure what else to think of."

"Under the dining set of furniture," Joel chuckled. "The whole floor can lift and move over slightly. That could work. Maybe, instead of a one room home, we can make it three rooms. The island might have just enough space for it."

"No. Two rooms. One big room for the main room. A smaller one for the bathroom for privacy, and the tiles come out just in front of the toilet," Kilnak said. "This way we can say it is easy access to plumbing in case water spills. Just a bit further down will be a hidden metal grate. You will have to enter the code to have the grate move to get past it on a secret panel."

"That makes a lot of sense," Joel nodded.

"This is like top secret stuff," Doug grinned. "Are we going now, Dad?"

"Yep. We'll be back later on. I have the design specs," Joel said. Everything was carefully noted and drawn out on some paper. Sitari watched the yacht pull away, and she sighed with a touch of worry. At Grynkar's nod, she felt some relief that her husband would be watched.

"I'll send an email back with a question on where to send funding for that pageant," Ashley chuckled. "The sooner we set it up, the sooner they'll get out here."

"If you find out, use Joel's card. The funds are on it. Have Bobby help make us anonymous," Kilnak nodded. "I want this pageant done. And, Annie? Can you please draw out some ideas for a crown? The more elaborate, the better."

"I can do that!" Annie nodded. "Um, can another fake one be made for me?"

"I don't see why not," Kilnak chuckled. "Nichole will get the real one."

"I don't want a crown!" his wife hissed.

"I want you to have one. It's another birthday present from me. And I want this pageant on live stream so that we can watch how it goes. A bit more cash, I'm sure, but I want to watch from here," Kilnak grinned wickedly. Ashley started laughing as she made virtual notes on everything to be done. With an email professionally constructed, she sent it off. Now all they had to do was wait and make design ideas on this ultimate pageant crown.


	11. Chapter 11

Anna-Marie was pleased with herself at the responsive email from Ashley. Her mother was quick to send all the information needed to help fund the future pageant. An hour later, she heard her mother gasp with a form of complete shock at a phone call.

"What do you mean the whole thing was anonymously funded? A cash prize and a trophy was included?!" her mother said with shock. Now Anna-Marie was quick to bolt into the hallway to listen in. "Two days?! Oh, my goodness! Yes, I'll send the word! Good-bye! Anna-Marie! Come here!"

"Mother?" her daughter asked.

"The pageant was funded completely by someone very rich! Even a prize of fifteen grand is offered! And a crown is being made right now! It's supposed to be the best crown ever made! A true prize! All of it is just…amazing! I'll have to call your father so he knows we'll be leaving. Start deciding what to take. Oh, never mind! This is a Caribbean pageant! A once in a lifetime opportunity! You need to get with Mikhail and have something amazing made! Only he can make something worthy for you!" her mother said dreamily.

Anna-Marie was completely stunned. It had to have been Annie's husband that funded everything. Maybe the whole family. Or was it someone else? The money seemed to be dropped as though it was only chump change! And a crown was being made? The best one ever seen for a pageant?

She frowned and went back to her room. Grabbing her rhinestone studded phone, she started to text the other girls the news. She went to her computer next and brought up her Skype program to talk to them all in a conference camera setting. It wasn't quite late evening yet, so they were all able to talk safely within their beauty sleep boundaries.

"Are you serious?! We are going to go?" Bethany gasped. Her room background featured a canopy bed with pink walls and photos of herself all over it.

"I just know that it was all funded. I don't know about travel," Anna-Marie said.

"That would be a problem," Sarah frowned. Her room was also overdone with lavish portraits of herself on the white walls. Her bed was out of view.

"I have some pageant money that my Mom was holding onto. I may be able to use that," Ellenore mused. Fluffy, plush pillows decorated her gilded bed in various shades of rose pink to match the rest of the room. She had a few pictures up, but most of her room was designed with sparkly glitter designs. She was in the middle of repainting her nails.

"I'll have to beg to go," Maria pouted in her overdone room of pastel pink tones. "My Mom spends most of what I win right away."

"It will be easy for me to go," Carol grinned. Her room screamed hot pink walls with black furnishings. A fuzzy pink shawl lined her trophy shelf. "My Mom would go with it in a heartbeat."

"Well, duh!" Bethany scowled. "Mine would, too."

"My Mother already plans to get me an outfit worthy of this pageant," Anna-Marie shrugged. "She already told me so. In that sense, I know I'm going."

"Emails weren't sent to our parents yet," Bethany said. "Since we are all pageant competitors, I'm sure it would just be a matter of time. Was a prize already chosen? If there is a prize, it may help us get out there, too, if we tell our Moms."

"There is. Fifteen grand and a personalized crown. Not sure about the crown, but I thought I heard my Mom say that it's supposed to be 'the crown of all crowns'. A really big deal," Anna-Marie chuckled. "I'll just have to make room for it."

"Oh, no! Not if any of us can help it!" Ellenore said haughtily. This was showman talk now. "It will go on _my_ shelf!"

"We'll just see about that!" Sarah colored up and logged out. After they all logged out, Anna-Marie smirked. None of them even questioned how the pageant was funded. At the knock on her door, she answered it to find her mother there with excitement.

"I just found out that anyone who plans to join gets a free ticket! Round trip! Oh, this is exciting! I already emailed the others. They are going to talk to the other girls right now! A free trip to the Caribbean! We are going shopping first thing tomorrow!" her mother beamed. Now Anna-Marie was stunned again. Free trips?! What was going on?! Something told her that her plan was backfiring on her. That it had to be Annie's new rich family. But she had no proof. It could be someone genuinely interested in the pageant and wanted it to happen.

"I can't believe this! It's all too good to be true!" Anna-Marie muttered to herself. She found her phone getting flogged with texts, but she ignored them for now. Browsing the internet again, she pulled up Annie's Facebook page. Then she stopped with shock. She was blocked out. All of her other rooms were blocked out to her. When she tried to find her publicly, she realized that the status changed for family and private use only. Annie loved to flaunt herself. Now she cut herself off from everyone. Even those who she thought were her friends. Anna-Marie sat there with a moment of disbelief.

She should be pleased that she had one less competitor out of the way. She should be thanking what luck she had that the trophy and prize money were hers for the taking. But, something felt wrong about it all. Then she realized what it was. The challenge was gone. Annie was the only one that rivaled her in beauty. Now her need to show off her true beauty had no meaning. She outclassed the others. She didn't have to fully go all out anymore. Where was the fun in that?

She also felt that she lost a powerful status by no longer having Annie under her thumb. With Annie being married and moving on with her life, Anna-Marie felt that a hole had now been presented to her. None of the other girls could fill that niche. Did she love Annie? Hardly. It was just the fact that she lost control over another. The puppet had now cut the strings and escaped. She hated the thought.

She vowed to get Annie back under her thumb. She would even use the new husband, too. Grumbling to herself, she logged into her own Facebook page to see what the girls were posting. Then she looked at her list of friends and noticed that Annie had unblocked her. A message was being posted. As she read it, the color drained from her face. Right after it was posted, she was blocked again.

* * *

><p><em>Anna-Marie, this is Annie's husband. I know you are up to something. I can FEEL it. Don't try anything. It won't work. Enjoy the pageant and the trip. I didn't pay for it, but I saw Ashley's email with the news. Annie will not be there. I won't let her go, and she agreed. Have fun.<em>

* * *

><p>Anna-Marie just stared at the message with dumb-founded silence. It showed that Annie was truly lost to her now. She had a very protective husband. Did he really feel that she was plotting something? He said he didn't pay for the trip, too. Then who did? She could believe that he saw Ashley's email. Ashley was part of the pageant mail listings, so that was understandable. She just couldn't shake the feeling that she was being set up for something. For once, she didn't want to go to the pageant. It was a sickening sensation to her.<p>

She knew her mother would argue with her. It was her idea, and her mother would push her to go. She was even getting a new dress! Clearing her throat and shaking off the unwanted feeling, she decided to go with it. If Annie wasn't there, then fine. Her body would get ruined by little brats, and her pageant days would be over. More for her! Yet, even as she went to look over her trophies, she knew she was lying to herself. Maybe she'll run into Annie out there. Narrowing her eyes, she nodded to herself. That would be why she would go.

If she did run into her, she'd show Annie exactly what kind of a haughty cow she was. She'd make Annie beg for forgiveness to stop the insults. She would give her the guilt trip of her life! She huffed to herself, looked back at her computer and paused at the message on her Facebook page. It sent an actual fear in her. It was a clear message to back away from Annie. That her life would be in danger if she tried to find her. Her husband was rich. Possibly even powerful with a lot connections. She would be committing suicide if she tried to track Annie down.

She swallowed hard and logged out of her page. Finally going to her phone, she tried to answer the texts, but her fingers were shaky. For the first time in her life, she felt threatened. She had no control over this situation. This was her weakness. She cleared her throat again and took a calming breath. Not all of her puppets escaped her. Bethany would cheer her back up. Bethany would be her new favorite puppet. She would be the closest thing to Annie in looks. Maybe not in money, but it would fix her mood back up, and she already started to feel confident again. She'll dominate the pageant. She'll win the prize. She'll make the others drop their jaws in awe over her. She couldn't show this new weakness, and the simple thought of her winning brought back the stubborn form of pride she always had.

With this new attitude, she went back to her computer and logged into her Facebook. She removed the offending message. Annie may be lost to her, but that was fine. Annie was now dead to her. Anna-Marie had no idea that her current thoughts were exactly what Tessoo wanted her to believe. He made his point to her by giving an indirect threat on something she took pride in looking at. He challenged her pride directly this way, and he knew that she didn't even know what had actually happened. He won the mental challenge by simply scaring her. He forced her to give up on Annie completely. He channeled his rage into the message, even though it was Ashley that typed it out.

He was truly a rare case. As rare as his oldest brother. He was able to shake the target with an emotional barrage. Dolphins were known to draw on emotions at times. They knew when to avoid others and when to approach to help. Tessoo inherited this trait by instinct alone. As Kilnak was able to protect and cause physical damage with his sonic roar, Tessoo was able to damage one's psych with intense thought. It was also why he kept to himself most of the time. He was not only sensitive to others, but his sensitivity was his attack, too.

His pod knew what he could do and never brought him to light until the need was there. It was the same with Kilnak when they needed him to hunt. It was also why Kep felt that Annie would be good for him. It would teach Tessoo how to protect another with a form of conscious control. Tessoo hated Anna-Marie with such a passion that he channeled it to her and shook her. He also knew that the moment she tried to do something nasty to his wife, he would protect her. Anna-Marie was nothing to him. If she tried to find them, he already called dibs to kill her personally. It was that feeling that he sent with the message, and he knew it hit home.


	12. Chapter 12

Tessoo was grinning wickedly when Kilnak looked over at him. His brother smirked and said, "_The one that thought she could cause problems has been put in her place. I felt it._"

"_Good. If she asks around for Annie, Bobby will know. He has agreed to listen for that. If she does, we will have her directed here for you to kill her. As I removed a problem from my life, the same will be done for you,_" Kilnak grinned. "_I do find it a bit odd, though._"

"_What?_" Tessoo asked. He was cradling Annie's sleeping form, and Kilnak was doing the same with Nichole. They were talking softly to each other in rather low tones.

"_I can attack with my roar. You seem to feel things. It's like our pod is really special because of us. We are different. I don't think our other siblings have certain talents. If they do, they haven't come out yet. What do you think?_"

"_Elder said that Annie would be good for me. I think Annie awakened this ability in me fully. Yes, I felt the need to protect you around Sernis, but this feels as though I have finally mastered it. Much like you and your call. Before, you only used to stun. Now your call is so loud that you can call to our other people and shake things above the surface! I don't know if our other siblings have special skills, either. Maybe having a Land Dweller as a mate simply helped it mature?_"

"_Nikki said something to me the other day. Something about me being her possible '_soul mate_'. Her match in life. I don't know if Lotisoo has something special now. Or Kina. Even Sitari. We will need to ask them when we can. If having a Land Dweller as a mate helps us unlock our true potential, then maybe Nikki is right. Maybe they are the other halves we are missing, and we just never knew it._"

"_That would be something to think about!_" Tessoo blinked. "_Do you think it was wise to offer safe passage to the other Land Dwellers that cause Annie harm?_"

"_I want all of those filthy creatures out here for others to see how vile they can be,_" Kilnak smirked. "_If any ask who gave them the ability to come here, they shall have a choice after the event. To come see us or to leave quickly. The one that wants Annie will have his pick of the litter. If he refuses and still wants Annie, then I'm sure that Bobby knows that his offspring may die._"

"_We are going to have to give more yellow ore away,_" Tessoo grimaced. "_I'm just glad we found more. It's just like what your companion told us. Land Dwellers always want more._"

"_I know it,_" Kilnak nodded. "_We will see what happens. We have more than enough to cover what needs to be done. Oh, you'll like this! Nikki wanted to try and learn our speech. I tried to teach her how to greet me normally._"

"_Okay. I may regret this, but what did she say?_" he grinned wickedly. At the response, he coughed and trembled hard to keep his laughing fit down. He didn't want Annie to wake up.

"_Then it was what she did to me after I told her what she said,_" Kilnak muttered. That got his brother trembling with even more laughter. "_She had me mate her several times._"

"_I don't want to teach Annie our language,_" he snickered. "_Not in front of others, at least._"

"_They will not be able to learn properly,_" Kilnak agreed. "_I wonder how Joe and Doug are doing. I hope they are okay._"

"_They are. I feel nothing bad,_" Tessoo smiled. Nichole woke up a moment later and yawned. Kilnak nuzzled her and whispered to her of what they talked about with special abilities. She thought about this and found herself smiling.

"It sounds like Tessoo is empathic," she said. "It's like a mind power. He can feel what others are doing around him. Even at great distances. If he focuses on something, he gets an idea of what the other is feeling. It must be even greater if he knows more about that person."

"Now, that would make a lot of sense! He had Ashley send Anna-Marie a message over that Facebook thing. Mainly to tell her to back off of Annie. I was able to help him tell Ashley what to say. He felt that he got the message through," Kilnak said. "Ashley saw that Anna-Marie was in her Facebook, and he was able to send his message at just the right moment."

"That's empathic right there!" Nichole nodded. "Tessoo, how did you know that you scared her? Can you try to tell me?"

"Um," Tessoo thought. He had to speak slowly to make the full sentences. "I felt mad, and I sent that feeling to her. I felt that she got scared."

"You were able to feel her get scared? Wow. You may have found her weakness," she mused. "From what Annie always told me before, when she bragged at me about her friends, that is, was that Anna-Marie was never afraid. She always liked to feel in control of everything. I think she was what gave Annie her mean streak, too. She made a weakness in the family, being me, and she grabbed it. It drove me away from wanting to be with the family, and it was what she wanted. It was like I was unwanted competition. Much like what was being done to her, she was able to control the others into attacking me. But, Anna-Marie kept Annie close with guilt and praises.

"I actually saw this happening first-hand when I saw them at a mall together before I left home. They both saw me, and Annie started to poke jibes with her friend egging her on. Annie was taking orders from another instead of giving them. That was how I made the connection. I was always driven away with hate, too. It was as though it was a subconscious reaction to what Annie was going through. I don't think she knew that she was being controlled by Anna-Marie, though. I don't think those other girls know that they are under control, either."

"Well, that control over you is done," Kilnak growled. Tessoo gave a protective look at his brother, and Kilnak gave a small nod to show there was no malice.

"I know it is now. I'm just making examples and comparing what I know," she smiled.

"It makes sense," Tessoo did admit. "That one likes power. Now with Annie gone, her power got smaller. I felt fear. She is not happy. I think Annie was her main power. So, when she lost Annie, she felt bad. Um, confused. She is trying to find another."

"That is very true," Nichole nodded. "I have to wonder who she's preying on now to replace Annie. I should care, but I really don't. All of those girls are rotten to the bone."

"That one did not want to come here, too," Tessoo smirked.

"Really? You felt that she didn't want to come out?" Kilnak grinned.

"Yes. She was scared. I made her scared," he grinned back wickedly.

"Okay. You have to try this. Scare her again. Tell me if you feel it," Nichole said. "If you do, you might be able to shake her in front of the pageant judges."

"If he can, I will die laughing!" Kilnak snickered. Tessoo now focused completely on causing mental hell on Anna-Marie. After a minute of concentrated focus, he gave a rather satisfied grin.

"It worked. She scared again," he said. Kilnak was now laughing hard. The others around the beach now glanced over. Annie woke up with a small start, and they filled in the others with what they learned. Annie was just in awe that her husband was able to shake up one of the toughest girls she knew.

"I am so not pissing you off!" Josh vowed. Tessoo chuckled at him with agreement.

"I have an experiment for you," Lisa thought. Ashley was now looking over curiously. She was reading a book to keep to herself, but it was now set aside and forgotten. Kessin was sleeping peacefully with Liksee nestled into his side. Kina was curious about what her brothers said about maybe having a hidden talent, and even Sitari was wondering, too. Lotisoo wasn't there, since he was learning about how to build things underwater at a safe distance. He was actually learning rather quickly. He wouldn't know it yet, but he had the skill to learn something at a glance. He had a photographic memory of the most utmost unique quality.

"What you have?" Tessoo asked and let Annie snuggle into him.

"When I first got here, there was a guy that hit on me. He tried to take me to the beach, but Dad stopped him. Scared him off. Do you think you could locate him to scare him?" Lisa asked.

"I wouldn't," Kilnak said. "At least not with an island native. Is there another?"

"Ah. An ex-boyfriend that got too stupid for his own good. He got way too over-protective and clingy for me. Lotisoo is protective, but he gives me space when it's needed. This other guy wouldn't leave me alone at all!" Lisa sighed. "It was like he always spied on me."

"I remember that one. He was a complete jerk!" Ashley nodded.

"Hmm," Tessoo thought. He picked up on Lisa's hurt, and he focused on that. He started to feel where it came from, and he actually surprised himself by finding the human in question. "Ah, wow. I found him! Um…right now, he feel…bored."

"Wow! He always felt bored when he wasn't doing anything," Lisa grinned. Ashley was now quite amused. Josh found himself rather perplexed at this. "I don't want him to know about me, though. I was just curious if you could find him. Since you did, you could find anyone you wanted."

"How did you do that?" Annie smiled.

"I felt her hurting. I used that," Tessoo chuckled. Annie kissed him lovingly and thought. Looking at her small wince, he whispered, "If they try to hurt you, I will kill them."

"I know I shouldn't ask this, but can you scare another one for me?" Annie asked.

"Who?" he asked gently. Kilnak held Nichole as they both watched curiously.

"One by the name of Bethany," she said. "She was the one that made me feel guilty for not buying her anything before I came out here. She really hurt my feelings."

"Oh, that one," Ashley said with disdain. "I think she needs a lesson done. She even sent me a rather nasty text message. It was a threat to let her talk to Annie 'or else'."

"Really?" Tessoo growled.

"Yes. Joel also talked to her after I said this to him," Ashley nodded.

"I remember," Tessoo nodded. "Hmm…"

"Scare her bad!" Kina nodded. Sitari was even nodding for it to happen.

"Annie," Tessoo whispered to her. "Think of her."

"You need to give him a lock like I did with that guy," Lisa said.

"Okay," Annie nodded. Now that the hurtful feelings came back, Tessoo snarled and focused his hatred. He was protecting his wife, so it was easy to pinpoint her. The result was rather pleasing to him. The girl was sipping a soda and suddenly spat it out from the feeling that she was being watched with complete and absolute hatred and loathing. The paranoia she felt was suffocating, but it was gone as quickly as it hit. Now that she was shaken up and scrambling to find her parents from the unknown assault, the merman smirked at his success.

"I guess it worked?" Kilnak grinned.

"Yes," his brother grinned back.

"I have a feeling that the lot of them may have a slumber party tomorrow night. They tend to a day before a big event. It made it easier for them to carpool. I used to be a part of it, so I know this. I have a really big request of you," Annie said. "I think it's important."

"Anything," he nuzzled her.

"I don't want them to get any sleep at all. I want them all to be scared out of their minds. Do you think you can do this for me? They all hurt me so much, and then they harassed my Mom! They made me hurt Nikki, too, and I had no idea what was going on. I didn't know what I was doing until I went back home from here. And then with how I was treated…I just…I didn't realize it. And I am really upset that I let it happen for so long.

"They haven't even apologized to me! I don't think that I would ever want one from them after the shit they put me and my family through, in all honesty. I want this to be my form of revenge! I want all of them to have such a nasty night of no sleep that they drag their asses in the morning to their plane flight! Maybe they should even get scared on the plane, too. I think it would be fitting!" Annie said with a mild pout. There was one major difference about the pout that she did. It was a genuine feeling that she was hurt and betrayed. At the wicked grin her husband gave her, Kilnak found himself grinning, too.

"You know the live stream will be happening at this 'major event', and you _know_ that I will want all of it recorded," Kilnak grinned. "As much as I want Mitchell to pick one, he should see what they can really be like. No sleep can make anyone a bitch."

"Oh, I know it," Josh grinned. Kina pinched his side to make him yelp with surprise. That got them all laughing, and Tessoo was now thinking.

"Annie," he smiled. "Think of them. Let me see through you. It will be easy for later."

"Ahh," Nichole grinned. "Once you get a lock on someone, you don't have to have help to find them again, right? Is that what it is?"

"Yes," Tessoo nodded to show she was right. Annie found herself smiling and let her husband kiss her with a loving form of protection. Holding her close, he had Annie help him get a nice lock on each troublesome girl. Now he tried an experiment. He focused on all six girls at once and caused mass hysteria on them all. That got him grinning, and he told the onlookers what he just did.

"You affected all of them?!" Annie asked with shock.

"I felt I did," Tessoo nodded.

"They are all in so much trouble!" Ashley giggled madly.

"I'd ease up on them for now," Lisa said with smile. "Let them feel confident again. Then, when they least expect it, hit them hard!"

"I would say to get them as they start to fall asleep," Josh grinned. "That will be prime time."

"You actually have a point," Kilnak grinned back. "They would be vulnerable then."

"Scare them really good!" Kina nodded. She let out a small squeak when Josh pulled her into his lap and squeezed her. At his whisper, she blushed and blinked her eyes in thought. "Not sure."

"Not sure of what?" Kilnak frowned.

"If she has a talent or not," Josh sighed. "It would be nice if she did."

"I think keeping you in line is the perfect talent," Lisa grinned.

"Shut up," Josh muttered. She stuck out her tongue at him as her response.

"Behave or I'll bring out baby photos," Ashley threatened. That got all of her kids coughing. Now Kilnak looked over at Ashley curiously.

"Baby photos?" he asked.

"You did not just hear her say that!" Nichole snapped.

"Just pictures of the kids when they were kids," Ashley grinned.

"I need to see them," Kilnak nodded. At Nichole's hard glare, he whispered enticingly in her ear. She sputtered with disbelief at him. He whispered again and lightly ran a hand up her back to hear her soft groan. He knew where all of her turn-on spots were.

"If you continue in front of me, I won't bring the pictures," Ashley warned.

"Keep going," Nichole whispered. Kilnak scowled at her chuckle and swam off a small ways away with her to continue his advances in peace. He wanted to take her to their island, but it was currently inhabited with builders. The dolphins led him to another place.

At the main island, Doug was learning hands on technical experience. He was given a wetsuit and shown how to weld underwater. As he did this, Lotisoo watched from a distance. He was gleaning everything quickly. It was very surprising to him at how much he was catching on. Time seemed to fly by without him even realizing what was going on. He only realized how late it was when his gut growled at him. He went several hours without eating.

He swam back to the temporary island quickly and found Lisa in his arms with a plate of food. He kissed her thankfully and started to eat. She looked at him and asked, "Did you learn a lot?"

"Yes. Um, much!" he nodded and tore into a large lobster tail.

"Do you remember everything?" Kilnak asked. He had returned with Nichole, and she was sleeping deeply on his shoulder. It was already sunset.

"Yes! All I learn," Lotisoo blinked now. Tessoo chuckled and told him what they found out earlier in the day about talents. He was floored. Was that what his talent was? He was amazed. At the sight of Doug and Joel coming in with a few dolphins, they were now told what they discovered.

"You learned everything I did?!" Doug gaped at Lotisoo.

"Yes," Lotisoo nodded. "I remember all."

"This is beneficial," Joel said. "Lotisoo, come here. I want to show you something. Sitari? Come over here and let him see your wound. Actually, let me check on Kessin."

"What do you plan to do?" Kilnak asked.

"If Lotisoo can retain information, then I can teach him various surgical techniques. If I'm not around, he will know what to do," Joel said. That had them all gasping with a form of surprise. "This can help all of us. Ah, Liksee? How is he?"

"Good," she nodded. Kessin was still sleeping, but Joel had her carefully undress the wound. The seaweed needed to be changed out, too. He showed Lotisoo the stitches he did, explained how he stitched the wounds and what he did for the pain. If Lotisoo didn't know a term, Kilnak was able to translate from where he was. It was inevitable for Nichole to wake up at this, but she was calm. She understood that this was needed.

"Lotisoo, you are going to apprentice under me. The moment I get another wounded one here, you will help me. Okay? It will help you learn and keep them from being upset that I'm working on them. Hopefully in time, I'll be assisting you," Joel smiled. Lotisoo nodded. Even he understood the importance of this. As the sun set even further, lights were turned on. Joel went to check his phone and blinked at a message from Josue. On listening to the voicemail, he smiled.

"Something good?" Ashley asked.

"Yes. Kilnak, your pearl casings for Nikki's pearls are done. Also, your trident is ready for the black pearls to be set into it. The ring you wanted to be made for Nichole is also done."

"Joel," Kilnak mused. "I want you to do something for me."

"What's that?" he asked and opened a beer.

"The crown that Annie designed for us. Can we modify it for a black pearl to go into it?" he grinned. Nichole rolled her eyes and groaned. Joel started laughing, and the others looked at Kilnak with solid amusement. At his wife's look, he said, "Birthday present! Can't complain!"

"You are terrible!" she scowled, and her father laughed harder.

"You deserve every bit of it," he grinned a bit wider. "Like I said. You are long overdue."

"Hmm…" Tessoo frowned at a feeling that surfaced.

"Tessoo?" Annie frowned.

"Are you picking up on something?" Lisa asked. At first Joel was going to ask, but then he remembered what Tessoo could do. Nodding slightly, he sipped his beer and listened silently.

"The strong one. Anna-Marie. No. I do nothing. Tomorrow night I do something," he nodded. "That be good time? Right?"

"Yes. That would be it. Leave her alone for now," Josh agreed. Kep appeared with most of the pod after hunting in deeper waters, and he was now told what was discovered. He started grinning at an odd thought as he looked at his grandson.

"_Tessoo, can you locate Sernis? I wonder if you can feel him,_" Kep asked. Now Kilnak tilted his head with complete curiosity. Tessoo mused and thought with a bit of focus.

"_I think I did find him. He's relaxing,_" Tessoo blinked.

"_Relaxing? Has he even bothered to look for Kessin's pod?_" Kilnak asked.

"_I'm not feeling it. I don't think he has,_" Tessoo frowned.

"Nikki, I need to send out a call," Kilnak said.

"For what?" she frowned.

"Sernis never bothered to try and find Kessin's family," Kilnak growled.

"Go ahead," she nodded. He kissed her and swam out a bit of a ways from the island. He took a deep breath and went under the ocean's surface. After getting to a decent depth, he let out the intense sonic blast of a message. Now he knew the word would spread. Swimming back to his wife, he pulled her into his arms. The entire island had trembled with the sound. Annie was just shocked at what she felt. Tessoo was still holding Annie close to him.

"What will happen tomorrow?" Kilnak asked.

"I need to visit Josue. I have to give him the pearls for your trident. I want to see how the crown is being developed and see if he can make the change for you. I'll need to bring back what he did finish, and I may even check on the fish stall at the market. If there is anything we need to restock, then we need to do that. Do you sense anything, Tessoo?" Joel asked.

"Hmm. Mitchell not good. Bobby needs to watch him," he advised.

"I'll call him on my way there. Anything else?" Joel asked.

"Bring back shrimp," he smiled.

"I can do that!" Joel chuckled. "I'll sleep on the boat tonight. Kessin is healing better, so I don't need to hover over him. I'm sure that one of you will get me if something goes wrong."

"We will," Josh nodded. Kina was sleeping on his chest now, and he was reclining a bit in the watery pool that was made for him. He was very protective of her now that she was pregnant with his kid. Lotisoo had Lisa resting against him. He clearly wanted her to bear his offspring.

"I'm almost done with my pills, okay? I have another couple months of them," she said.

"No. No more pills," he muttered and kissed her. "Have baby now."

"Lotisoo! A home should be made for us first!" she blushed.

"We have home," he smiled. She blinked at him and smiled softly. "No more pills."

"It will take time for what I have in me to wear off," she whispered.

"That fine. No more," he said seriously.

"Okay," she smiled. "No more."

"Good," he grinned and pulled her down into the pool that they chose for themselves. Joel and Ashley were already at the boat with a touch of haste.

"Are you two really…doing…?!" Annie gasped.

"Can you see anything?" Kilnak grinned.

"No…" she blushed.

"Then it's fine. Right?" he chuckled. "Nikki and I did that while you were here the first time. It's why we ducked under the water."

"Are you serious?!" Lisa gasped. Lotisoo redirected her thoughts with a kiss and a slight movement under the water with his hips. He was able to have her forget about the others. Annie was just in shock. Then she blushed hard at her husband's whisper.

"Here? Now?" she blinked.

"Hold breath," he grinned. Kilnak started laughing with Nichole. Doug was in awe at what he was witnessing. At Sitari's wicked grin, he hung his head and blushed.

"We try?" she purred in his ear. "Hold breath with me?"

"Okay…" he sighed.

"Shall we?" Kilnak growled in Nichole's ear. The rest of the pod watched the newly mated pairs be together under the waves. They also had to witness them, despite the pearls given. It was the same thing that Kilnak had to do with Nichole when they first mated. It was when Nichole started to nibble and torment her husband that the other mated Merfolk realized the weakness that was soon exploited. Tessoo was shocked when Annie got him hard with a small bite to his neck. After several more minutes, exhaustion soon settled in. The rest of the night passed swiftly for those that slept.


	13. Chapter 13

Joel had the yacht ready to go the moment he woke up. Kep had already settled the latest catches of fish against the bottom of the yacht. Several Merfolk would monitor the nets to ensure that nothing broke or caught on anything. Any fish that escaped were likely too small to sell, and they were easily snapped up by the escorting dolphins. They even purposely put a few small ones in there just for that.

Several of Bobby's men were waiting to help haul up the catches. They were put into various drums of seawater to keep the fish alive for transport to the market. The man watching the stall waved to Joel and helped settle the fish in aquariums for selling them. Several parts of tuna were also delivered from the yacht and expertly portioned out.

"How much did we make so far?" Joel asked. Ashley was already looking at shrimp to purchase. Anything she did buy was packed in ice and sent to the yacht.

"We made about five grand," the man grinned.

"Awesome! Take ten percent for yourself. The rest will get portioned at thirty-five for Bobby. The rest is mine," Joel nodded. The man was pleased at the cut. He would always make himself available to help. It was what Joel wanted. The rest of the money would be taken to Josue. If there was something he needed to purchase, he could do it right on the spot. If not, it was a trip to the bank. When he got to the jewelry store, he nodded to the assistant.

"Hello, Mr. Williams! I'll get Josue," she beamed.

"Thank you," he nodded back. The portly native came out with a grin.

"Come with me," Josue gestured. Ashley followed him, too, to see what was made. On a long table in a small workshop was a trident. It was made with a base body of white gold to keep rust from setting in. The main shaft was textured to be just like the coral sample for easy handling. The prongs were set with jagged tips of titanium for easy fish spearing. The base of the prongs held decorations with small holes for pearls and other gems if decided on.

"It does feel a bit light," Joel mused when he lifted it.

"Yes. The interior is hollow. We used the coral as the proper mold. We did have to improvise with the tips. Gold and silver are too soft to use as weapons. Titanium was best. You said no steel, so this was a better alternative," Josue nodded. Joel chuckled and gave over the three black pearls. "It also won't rust. If it does, you may need to bring it back to me for proper treatment."

"That makes sense on the rust. If you want to put a few diamonds in it, I'm sure he won't mind. Actually, let me ask him," Joel thought. Ashley gave over his phone, and he called up his daughter.

"Dad?" Nichole asked.

"I need to talk to Kilnak," he said. The phone was easily heard getting passed over.

"Joel? What's up?" he asked.

"I'm looking at your trident. I'm going to snap a few pictures of it to send to Nikki. Tell me what you think, okay?" Joel said. At the consent, the call was disconnected. The pictures were taken, and a couple were done with Ashley holding it to compare size. When the phone rang, he answered.

"It looks awesome! If Ashley can hold it, then it's the right weight. How does it feel when jabbing? As though spearing a fish?" Kilnak asked.

"It's hard for me to work with, but that's only because I don't know what the hell I'm doing," Joel chuckled. "What do you think of more gems? We were thinking of diamonds."

"My people don't really use diamonds. I'd put in the black pearls and various colored pearls of different tones and sizes. Save the gems for Nikki's crown. Was her ring designed?" he asked.

"Josue, was my daughter's ring with that new black pearl done? I also need the clasps for the other two, if they are finished," Joel said.

"Yes! This way," Josue nodded. They went into the small vault of the shop, and he took out the pieces. "The two cages are designed so that a little heat will seal them permanently. Let them cool for an hour, and they will be fit to wear."

"The pearls won't be hurt?" Joel asked.

"No. If not directly in touch with the welding, they should be fine," Josue nodded. "The ring was fairly simple to do. Bobby told me that he would cover the payment."

"We had made a deal with Bobby. Doug and Lotisoo should know how to weld now to help with the clasps," Kilnak chuckled. "Do you have a timeframe on when you plan to come back?"

"Likely in an hour or two. The new catches of fish are already selling! We did very well today. I'm sure we'll do a lot more business if we get larger fish," Joel said.

"Good. I'll see what else my family can catch," Kilnak said. The call disconnected from there. Josue brought out a variety of pearls, but he placed the black ones in first. When they were set and sealed in, smaller pearls with various colors were now added. The trident was now one of Josue's best works. He took a few pictures for his portfolio. After that, it was fitted into a black velvet carry case, and Joel nodded his thanks. He wasn't going to let it out of his sight!

The pearl clasps for the necklace and ring were given over next. The black pearl and diamond ring was next to be handed over in a box. When it came to instructions for the circlet, Josue was unsure. He thought over everything and said, "To make a circlet of that quality may be too much time. I know you will pay me for the hours and parts, of course, but to make something like that in only a few days…"

"What can you give us to work with?" Joel asked.

"May I suggest a simple gold circlet with a few diamonds and pearls? I could see about some of the gold lacework, but that would require far too much time. I would need at least a week," he admitted.

"Hold on," Joel said and called up Kilnak. "Hey! We may have an issue with the crown. We may need something simpler in design."

"That won't work. It needs to be very impressive. Annie? Your dad says that crown will be too hard to make in the time allowed," Kilnak said.

"Oh. I was only thinking of a golden crown with lace because I hadn't seen one like it yet," Annie was heard with a giggle. "I was just thinking of something unique. We didn't send out any images yet, so we can make changes if we have to. But, we did promise an above and beyond crown with the prize money. That's the real bait, right?"

"It is," Kilnak agreed. "Okay. What can Josue make within a few days? I want the pageant to happen near the end of the week. Three days. The girls will be coming out tomorrow. They'll have two days to realize that they entered a place of hell."

"Josue, what can be done in three days?" Joel asked. "We will need two false crowns to go with the real one. And they have to be identical."

"Well, glass and plastic is easy to use for the fake ones," Josue grinned. "What is all of this for?"

"I'll tell him," Kilnak said. The phone was passed over and Annie's issue was revealed. Josue was clearly intrigued and a touch amazed at the girls Annie was dealing with. At the mention of what they were doing now, even Josue was a bit appalled at their behavior.

"I see, I see," he agreed. "I would say a slender loop of solid gold. Dot it with diamonds and pearls. Maybe even a twist of white gold around the loop, too, as silver can tarnish. We can add a few strands of diamond-cut gold strands over the top to support the head when worn. It can also give off that sparkly effect in the sun from the way the gold is cut. The diamonds will be key, too. In the front, a larger pearl can be set with a diamond cut strand around it. I understand that you want a black pearl, but for a crown like this, a basic white one might be better. I can even look up a few ideas on similar circlets. I know most pageant crowns are made to be very glittery."

"Do what you can. If you deal in trade, I can give you something equaling the value of the crown. Or straight cash," Kilnak chuckled. "What would you prefer?"

"I can do a trade," Josue said. He knew that Kilnak's family were the treasure hunters. Joel did let him in on the secret. He would be delighted to get a nice piece of authentic treasure from them.

"I have a necklace of rough diamonds, gold and emeralds that I can offer to you," Kilnak said.

"Can you send me an image?" Josue asked.

"I'll call you back," Kilnak agreed. Five minutes later, Josue had the images. He wanted the necklace and agreed to the trade. He already had some interesting ideas on the crown.

"I'll come up with something worthy. Give me until tomorrow. I'll send you the designs I come up with tonight. I may have a few raw materials that I haven't had any use for," Josue promised. "I also have a good design crew that I can talk to."

"You have a deal," Joel nodded. "When the crown is done with the fakes, I'll have the necklace ready for you to trade on the spot. Let me get these to him. I'll let you know how it goes."

"Good," Josue nodded. They shook hands and Joel left with Ashley.

"That trident is gorgeous!" she giggled. She was holding the black velvet case and the small bag that held the other jewelry pieces.

"I know. Thirty grand for a weapon! He's going all out," Joel chuckled. "His money, though. I'm not complaining. Hopefully it will do the job for him. Anyways, the shrimp should be at the boat. We have the jewelry. Ah. The bank. I have some cash to deposit."

"Okay. Let's go!" she smiled. As they hailed for a taxi, Joel's phone went off.

"Don't go to the bank," Kilnak said. "Come back to the island."

"On our way!" Joel said and hung up the phone. "No bank. Kilnak needs us to come back."

"Why's that?" Ashley frowned.

"No clue. But, I'll go with my gut and do as he says. Considering what's been happening lately," Joel shrugged. "I'm not gonna chance it."

"Okay," she nodded. On heading to the docks, Bobby called Joel.

"Hey. Did you go to the bank yet?" he asked.

"No. I'm going to the docks. Why?" Joel asked.

"A robbery just happened," he said. Ashley's jaw dropped.

"Kilnak stopped us from going. I was also warned for you to keep an eye on Mitchell," Joel said slowly. "I wasn't going to say anything, but I may as well. As to why, Tessoo said so."

"I'll keep an eye on my son," Bobby agreed. "Speaking of which, where the hell is he?"

"Find him," Joel muttered. "If he's hiding on my yacht, I'll take him to the island so Kilnak and Tessoo can rip him to pieces."

"I'll call you back," Bobby agreed. Joel sighed and shook his head.

"Kilnak would kill him, wouldn't he?" Ashley frowned.

"He would. And Tessoo would skin him alive for Annie's sake," Joel nodded.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Ashley clucked her tongue. As they arrived at the docks, Joel narrowed his eyes at the sight of Bobby leading Mitchell away from Little Star. Ashley cringed at this.

"Go in the yacht. Stay there," Joel growled. "I'm pissed."

"Okay, dear!" she said cheerfully. He kissed her in such a way that it made her blush and giggle. She knew that he was showing her that he wasn't pissed at her. Now that his wife was safely on the yacht with their new purchases, Joel walked over to where Bobby was standing with his son.

"What were you doing near my boat?" Joel asked calmly.

"I was helping to deliver a shipment of shrimp," Mitchell said calmly.

"Okay. I can believe that. But, why was Bobby leading you away?" he asked.

"I was also wondering if Annie was on the boat," Mitchell shrugged.

"She's with her husband," Joel said. Mitchell looked at him as though he didn't hear him correctly. "She got married. She's happy. If you try to find her, you'll get killed. She might appear at a beauty pageant in the next three days. You can talk to her when she shows up. But I do warn you. If you show up without warning, or sneak onto my fucking boat again, I'll make sure her husband meets you so he can gut you open and use your insides for fish bait!"

Mitchell gaped with shock at the threat. He didn't expect that to come from Joel. He was clearly in protective father mode. Bobby only cleared his throat to show that his son wasn't leaving the mainland. At another hard glare, Joel turned and left for the yacht. He wanted to go into a tirade about his calls to Annie, too, but he left that alone. Her number was changed. He couldn't do anything now.

"Honey?" Ashley said gently when Joel stormed onto the yacht.

"I'm fine. I just have to calm down. Can you get me a beer?" he asked.

"Sure," she said. She didn't bother to argue with him.

"And feed my guide a fish, please?" he said when he got the beverage. He didn't open it yet. Ashley gave a tight smile at that. He was really pissed off at Mitchell. Just as the yacht started to pull away from the dock, he paused at his phone going off. "Hello? Rick?! What do you mean by you're at the airport?! I thought…oh. You had vacation and they forced you to leave? Wow. Okay. Well, I was just about to leave on my yacht. Well, not my yacht, but Nikki's yacht. Yes. Her husband is rich, remember? Right. Well, grab a taxi and come to the eastern docks. Yep! I'll wait."

"Who was that?" Ashley said as she came back down. The dolphin was fed, but she was puzzled why the boat wasn't moving. Joel sighed and got up from the chair he was in.

"Rick just got in. He's on his way here. So, we have to wait for him. You may have to drive the boat while I talk to him. I'm going on the deck and calling Nikki," he said. Ashley nodded and let him squeeze her. He was trying to calm down. He couldn't make the call yet. At the sight of his dolphin companion squeaking at him, he sighed and gave a shrug. "Company. We need to wait."

She paused and clicked at him with a curious sound. She was able to understand some of his speech. Another mackerel was fed to her to help keep her happy. She noticed that Joel looked tense. That something was wrong. So, she did the only thing she could do. She put on a show for him by leaping into the air, waving her fins at him and blowing out heavy bouts of water. When he finally gave a small chuckle, she clicked and tail-walked on the water with a happy squeal. To admit his defeat, he said, "Okay, okay! You win!"

She squealed again and nodded her head rapidly. When a taxi showed up with Rick, Joel waved at him. When the fit man with reddish-brown hair and green eyes started up the plank with his suitcase, the dolphin was quick to breach and splash water on him from head to toe. Then she sneezed on him for added measure. Joel died laughing.

"What the fuck was that for?!" Rick hollered. "Do I owe you money or something?!"

"Sorry…!" Joel gasped as he held his gut. He was still holding his unopened beer, thankfully, and coughed as he caught his breath. "That's my…dolphin guide to the island. I guess she knew I was pissed. She wanted to cheer me up."

"She knew you were pissed? So she used me to help you?" Rick scowled. "Damn it! These clothes were not cheap! Fuck!"

"I'll pay for your dry cleaning," Joel chuckled and finally opened his beer. "My son-in-law will, actually, since the dolphin comes from his family. You'll be fine."

"I know I will. What a way to say 'hello', though!" Rick sighed. "And a guide to the island? What island is this? I'm confused."

"Not hard for you," Joel grinned. Rick flipped off his friend and went down into the main room of the yacht. "Honey, I'm removing the ropes! We can start leaving!"

"Okay!" Ashley waved. "Good to see you, Rick!"

"You, too," Rick nodded. Joel handed him a beer and sat down. "Okay, what's up?"

"We are going to a privately owned set of islands," Joel said. "The family that my kids married into aren't truly natives of the Caribbean. They move around a lot. Even the island they bought is in unclaimed waters. Anyways, they need me out here so much that they want me to live with them. I'm in control of their funds, too, so I can easily retire from work."

"Hmm…" Rick thought as he took a healthy swallow of his beer. "You're the best surgeon the hospital has, you know. For your field."

"I know. And you're the best in your field for children's health. Josh wants to take up the practice," Joel chuckled. "Lisa wanted to try veterinary medicine."

"Nice!" Rick grinned. "What about Nichole?"

"I'll get to her in a moment," Joel said. Rick rose a brow at this. "Douglas is getting into electrical, metalworking and carpentry fields. Annie is actually thinking about becoming a professional chef. It's pretty amazing at what they want to do. As for Nichole, she may become a housewife."

"Okay, that's something I don't understand. Nikki was always ambitious! I thought she'd take on a more challenging role than keeping house," Rick grinned.

"Well, she's pregnant. Her husband won't let her out of his sight. Josh's wife is now pregnant, too. At the rate Annie's with her husband, it's just a matter of time. Same with Lisa, and Doug's wife."

"Damn!" Rick said. "Sounds like a full house!"

"Tell me about it. I may have to sell the house. I doubt I'll be able to live in it as much as I want to. I'm really needed out here. Besides, if I'm offered a permanent paycheck and the ability to spend vast amounts of cash any way I want, why should I decline?"

"Tempting. This new family is that trusting of you?"

"You'll see for yourself. Let me tell you how most of it started."

"I'm all ears," Rick said. Joel explained what happened to Nichole when she went swimming. His friend was in shock. When he was told how the guy died, he paled.

"Anyways, that's pretty much it. I have a few serious connections now. If all goes well, you'll meet the main one I work with. I could use a breather. In fact, come up to the deck with me. A family member might be swimming with us. They swim that fast," Joel nodded. He judged a good ten minutes went by from all the talk.

"You're shitting me! A guy can keep up with a boat?" Rick blinked. Joel gestured for him to follow up to the deck. When they got to the rail, Joel looked out over the water.

"You're still single, right?" he asked.

"I am," Rick nodded.

"Don't let them know," he advised. "Grynkar?! You out there at all?"

"Joe?" Grynkar asked when he surfaced. He was always following the boat for safety, and the dolphins told him he was being called for. "Oh! You bring more?"

"This is the other doctor. Um, another healer. His name is Rick," Joel said. Rick was staring with complete disbelief at what he was looking at.

"Okay! I tell pod!" the scout said and dove into the water.

"Thank you!" Joel said. "Rick, that was a merman. I'm rich because they find treasure. I sell it for them. I am needed here to help them."

"That…what the…" Rick was still in shock. Joel sighed and chuckled.

"Just don't call them fish, okay? That really pisses them off," he grinned.


	14. Chapter 14

When Grynkar made the report that another was coming, Nichole was a bit worried. When Kilnak learned that Grynkar was seen and introduced, he was skeptical.

"_The Land Dweller was stunned. It was amusing,_" Grynkar chuckled.

"_As long as Joe can keep him in line,_" Kep sighed.

"_My thoughts exactly,_" Kilnak growled. "_But, he is right. He is only one healer. With another possible healer with him, more may be done. We shall see._"

"I hope Dad knows what he's doing," Nichole frowned.

"If I'm insulted, I'll chase his monkey ass back to the boat," Kilnak growled.

"All fine," Tessoo said with a smile.

"You think so?" Annie asked. He kissed her gently and nuzzled her with a small nod. "Um…you still plan to scare those girls tonight, right?"

"Yes," he said with a wicked grin to make her laugh. "I scare bad!"

"Good!" she smiled. "You know, you could scare them with their darkest fears."

"Hmm? Tell me?" he asked. "I want know."

"Well," she sighed. "My darkest fear was that I would get old and ugly."

"No matter," Tessoo said softly. "Always pretty."

"Okay," she blushed. He kissed her passionately and had her continue. "I don't know what fears the other girls have. We sort of kept that secret from each other. To keep the others from using them against us. But, if you could find out what those fears are, you could always bring them up."

"That's evil. And very ingenious," Kilnak grinned. "Tessoo, you should."

"Okay," he nodded. "I will."

"Tessoo, is it true that you felt that Anna-Marie got scared when she thought she wasn't in control? Like when she realized that she lost power over Annie?" Nichole asked.

"Yes," he nodded.

"I wonder…" she grinned. Kilnak looked at her with a puzzled expression. Then he caught on.

"That's her fear. To not be in control," Kilnak grinned back.

"Oh! Yes," Tessoo nodded again.

"Do you think you can find out about the others to prepare for tonight?" Kilnak asked. Tessoo mused at this and thought.

"_Kilnak, you'll need to talk for me,_" his brother said. "_Bethany is easy to find. She always likes to look nice. Having the right colors…um…_"

"Annie, does Bethany always like to look nice?" Kilnak asked.

"Well, they all do. But, she always took pride in what she wore," she said. Tessoo clicked to his brother, and Kilnak was able to piece it together. Certain words his language didn't have. Clothing was one of those words. Even cooking was another.

"Her outfits. She always has to look her best. She doesn't like knowing she has nothing good to wear. That's her fear," Kilnak said. "Next one, Tessoo?"

"_I found Ellenore. She's fixing her head. Trying to make herself look better,_" he said.

"Her hair. She's working on her hair," Kilnak said. "This is Ellenore."

"Oh, yeah! She always makes sure that her hair looks awesome," Annie nodded.

"Guess we know what she's about," Nichole chuckled.

"What's going on?" Lisa asked. Lotisoo was still resting with her and made no plans to move.

"Trying to find out the worst fears of Annie's old comrades," Kilnak chuckled.

"I know one!" Josh said and rose up his hand. "It's why I said it to Carol. She hates being ugly. It's why I called her trash. I insulted her big time."

"Yes. That good," Tessoo nodded to show he was right.

"I remember one with, um, Sarah," Doug said from where he was. "She likes to be well-known and popular. When I told her that I had no clue who she was, she got pissed."

"Good," Tessoo nodded to him now.

"That leaves Maria. Oh! She always watched what she ate. She kept saying that she didn't want to mess up her figure," Annie said. "So, she hates thinking that she's fat."

"Rather interesting at how obvious their fears were," Nichole smiled.

"I never realized it. I sort of…had a combination of them all, now that I think about it," Annie frowned. "But, my main one was looking ugly. I had to look my best. And I liked being popular…"

"Do you still like all of that?" Kilnak asked.

"No. It…makes no sense to, really. By now, I'd be screaming for a hot bath and a manicure," she giggled. "I love to be pampered and spoiled. Mom's fault in that."

"Yeah, you were the French Poodle of the family," Lisa snickered.

"Shut up!" Annie flustered. They all laughed and giggled, but Tessoo rocked her to comfort her.

"We eat?" Sitari asked her husband. Doug stretched and nodded.

"Yeah, I think it's time," he agreed. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," she smiled. "Not bad. Not good. Just okay."

"I tend to get that feeling every now and then, too," Doug smiled.

"All right. I'm addressing my family. _We should all swim really quick. We'll hunt, too, around the surfaces. I can't go too far, but we also need to see how far out Joe is,_" Kilnak said.

"_I'll check,_" Grynkar nodded and swam off.

"_I'll get the pod to hunt. You all swim and stay here,_" Kep said.

"_That's fine,_" Kilnak agreed. "Doug, Sitari needs to swim. Josh, Kina does, too. It will help our skin. You guys can prep food for us. We won't be long."

"That's fine. Kina? You should swim, okay?" Josh smiled at his wife. When she clung to him, he sighed. "I can't swim as well as you. Just a couple laps and come right back. I'll still be here."

"Okay," she nodded. Her skin needed the rehydration. The humidifier did the job, but it still helped her to swim to keep her muscles strong. He kissed her softly and smiled.

"I'm sure my Mother is bringing shrimp. I'll make sure to have some cooked for you," he promised. "Right now, we'll work with what we have."

"Sweet fish?" she smiled.

"I think we have some salmon left over. I'll check. Go swim," he smiled again. She nodded and ducked through the watery tunnel. Lisa checked on Kessin and Liksee to make sure they were well.

"How's he doing?" Lisa asked.

"Good. Slow to get better," Liksee nodded.

"Dad will want to look at him when he gets here. I think he's bringing a friend. Another healer. He may be able to help more," Lisa said carefully to make sure she got through.

"Okay," Liksee nodded.

"_We're still unsure of the new one. Just keep Kessin safe,_" Kilnak said.

"_I plan on it!_" she agreed. Kessin was still sleeping quite deeply. She had skillfully wrapped him in seaweed to help keep in the moisture. It was something his pod would have done to help him recover. He had woken once in the night from a little pain, but she and Lotisoo were able to give him a touch of a numbing salve to help him rest again. They had all agreed to try and let the wound heal as normally as possible. None of them knew what modern medicine would have done. If the pain was eased, then all he needed to do was rest and recover. The I.V. bag did help replace much of the fluid he lost, but that was the most they wanted to do.

Under the waves, Kilnak was racing the others around the island. For the first time in a long time, Tessoo swam faster than him. It was expected, though. He was building up more muscle in his chest. It was just like Nichole said. From being on the surface so much, his chest was developing more.

"_You could become a hunter for the pod at this rate,_" Kina said.

"_It's true. But, I'm not worried. All the better to protect to my mate,_" Kilnak smiled.

"_That may be true,_" Lotisoo nodded. "_I do hope that Lisa will bear me offspring._"

"_I'm sure she will. It may take time, though. Everything takes time. I wonder what my weapon will be like. It took a bit of time to see if it could be done,_" Kilnak mused. "_Joe was bringing it._"

"_Did you really want such a weapon made? Yes, it will help you hunt, but you can't even travel so far!_" Sitari chuckled. "_You will always be around Nikki._"

"_It may be needed,_" Tessoo said gravely. "_It will be good defense against flesh eaters. It's doubtful that many will show up, but it will help. If the shine on the weapon is the same as the drawing, then it will confuse them and ward them off._"

"_Good to know,_" Kilnak nodded. "_I know it's possible to get them from underneath. I saw something on that device they had. The flesh eaters are weak if they are flipped for their bellies to be up at the surface. They lose a sense of direction._"

"_Really?! We should test it. That is, if we come across one,_" Tessoo said.

"_As long as Nikki does not know,_" Kina said softly. "_She worries much._"

"_I don't want her worried. It makes her sick. She finally started to gain weight. Enough to look better. We need more fish with spines and hard-skinned pinchers._"

"_The pod will bring more,_" Tessoo said.

"_Joe's device is back! There's Sire!_" Lotisoo said. "_He looks…very amused._"

"_I think he likes knowing that he can fluster a Land Dweller,_" Kilnak smirked.

"_All too true,_" Grynkar said when he swam over. "_He brought a fellow healer. Joe's companion decided to play with him. She told me. It made Joe happy._"

"_Good to know,_" Kina giggled. They swam back to the temporary island and settled with their respective mates. Kina told Josh that she had a good swim. Sitari was now eating some fried up crab meat with a hunger that rivaled his own. Lisa sat near the watery pool to give the plate of cooked fish to Lotisoo, but he set the plate aside to pull her into the water to be with him. He was adamant on her bearing him an offspring. Nichole looked over and sputtered laughter.

"What's so funny? Oh…" Annie said with a hard blush. Tessoo laughed softly and shared a dish of soft lobster tail with her. When Little Star finally appeared, several Merfolk were ready to help unload the tub of shrimp, salmon and mackerel. Rick was just staring with disbelief at what he was witnessing.

"Remember," Joel warned. "Don't tell them you're single. Don't call them fish."

"Right," Rick nodded.

"There is a wounded merman being taken care of. He had a massive shark bite. I was able to patch him up. They are built nearly exactly like dolphins from the waist down. From what I can tell, they don't have a pelvis bone. I think it's there just enough to give an illusion. Otherwise, it's all muscle. I'm not here to make a documentary of them. I am here to help them. I am here for my kids. You can't say anything to anyone. It will be discredited," Joel said slowly.

"I figured that," Rick sighed. "If they're as rich as they are, they likely have the connections to make any news about them false."

"Exactly," Joel nodded. "They are humans. They can feel, joke, get mad and even learn. They may tolerate you, but only if Kilnak approves of you. Kep is the leader of the pod, but if Kilnak is pissed, he will tell you to leave. Kilnak is Nikki's husband. He's the one you need to fear. He's the one that killed off Ben in the manner that I told you. He won't hesitate to do the same to you."

"Understood!" Rick nodded again. Joel's kids looked over at the yacht, saw Rick and waved. He remained on the yacht, though. He let the Merfolk come to him and talk out to him. Even the kids were able to talk to him without an issue. There wasn't much wind or extra sound from the waves.

"Hey, Rick Roll!" Josh grinned.

"Shut up!" Rick growled and pointed at him to show he knew better than that.

"That's not nice," Joel said to his son. Kilnak rose a brow, and Nichole whispered what the joke was. Now Kilnak cracked a grin, but he kept quiet. "He's here to help. Not listen to you."

"Josh…" Kina said in warning. "I know not what say. But it not nice! You be nice!"

"Okay!" Josh cringed. At the warning poke to his gut and another stern look, he sighed. That got Rick laughing and covering his face. He never thought he'd see the day that Josh would get humbled.

"She's pregnant," Joel muttered. He was grinning, though. He had every right to show that. "Anyways, you know that Nikki's pregnant. It's just a matter of time for the others."

"Of course," Rick chuckled. When Ashley appeared with the case of jewelry and Kilnak's trident, Kilnak was the one to appear to take them from her. Only after that was safely on the island did Kilnak regard Rick. The fellow surgeon found himself pausing with a chill of fear at Kilnak's glare.

"I am Kilnak, Nichole's husband. I'm the one that can talk to you the best. My Grandfather, Kep, is the pod leader. But, around here, my word is the law. You get one warning. Don't fuck with me. We are taking a chance with you. Don't abuse it," Kilnak said carefully.

"I would be an idiot if I did," Rick agreed. "I am Rick. A friend of Joel's and a coworker."

"Fine. I suppose he told you a bit about us?" he asked.

"Enough for him to get a general idea," Joel nodded. "Well, Rick, I hope you brought swimming trunks! If not, your expensive clothes are going to get doused with seawater again."

"Are you serious?!" Rick gaped.

"Don't be such a tight-ass!" Joel grinned. "Why do you think I wear crap clothes?"

"I didn't bring anything to swim in," Rick frowned. Then he yelped when Joel shoved him off the boat and into the water.

"You did now!" Joel said with laughter and jumped in after him.

"You fucking schmuck!" Rick hollered at him. A dolphin was quick to appear for him, and he watched how Joel grabbed onto the dorsal fin of his companion.

"Good thing I know how to swear. Maybe I'll learn more words," Kilnak mused.

"Stop it," Nichole laughed. He pulled her close and nuzzled her.

"Love Nikki," he whispered.

"Love Kilnak," she smiled. They kissed softly and turned their attention to the cases.

"Let's see," he grinned and took out his trident. Nichole's jaw dropped. Kilnak was now going over each part of it with Kep and his sire. The other males in the pod were quick to look over it critically.

"_Should I test it?_" one of the hunters asked.

"_Only if I get it back,_" Kilnak grinned. That got them all laughing.

"_I'll go with him,_" his sire nodded. "_I want to try it, too._"

"_Make sure no others are around you,_" Kep said. "_We don't want knowledge of this weapon to spread. At least, not right now. It would not be wise. Try to spear a large fish. See how it goes. Compare how one of ours works against it. Be very careful. I may join up with you later._"

"_We will,_" the hunter nodded. When they ducked under the water with the trident, Kilnak was musing to himself. The weapon was easy to use. It felt light and durable. He would test it, himself, but he knew that he needed to be with Nichole. At her look, he smiled.

"They're going to hunt down some tuna and see how it goes," he said. "My Dad will be with them. Grynkar was going, too. If it doesn't work well as a weapon, I will use it for respect."

"Josue tried to make it solid enough that it wouldn't break, but light enough to be used," Ashley said. "Do you plan to make other weapons like that?"

"No. It's just for me," Kilnak said. "I don't want to make a big thing out of it. Besides, I need to make sure that crown is done first for the pageant. After it's done, we can see about something else."

"We need our home built first," Nichole reminded him.

"True. I'm sure the builders are back at the main island?" Kilnak asked.

"I did see their boats there when I passed them," Joel nodded. "They were working on drilling."

"As long as they don't sink it," he said. He straightened a bit when Nichole rested her arms over his shoulders. He looked at her skin and frowned. "You need sunblock."

"Then put some on me," she grinned. He nibbled her neck and growled in her ear. A glance over at Rick had him thinking, but he returned to helping his mate with her skin.

"You need to shave," he muttered. "Here."

"Okay," she nodded and took the razor from him.

"She should wax," Annie said. "Yes, it's messier and a bit more work, but the hairs don't come back for a while. The wax rips the hairs out by the roots."

"No thanks!" Nichole said with a cringe. "I'll stick with razors!"

"Tell me more about this," Kilnak grinned. Nichole gave him a glare, and he just grinned more at her. It was what he always did. After her legs were shaved and the razor was set aside, he started to massage her again. At his intense massaging, she sighed and lost the fight to argue any further.

"A salon would do it best," Annie said. "She'd have to go into the mainland, though."

"No," Tessoo said. "Not safe for Nikki."

"I know. There are products she could buy. Small strips or plucking devices," Annie beamed.

"Ashley, can you get me something?" Kilnak chuckled.

"I'll do what I can," Ashley said.

"No!" Nichole groaned. "I don't need that crap!"

"I want you to have that crap," Kilnak grinned and nuzzled her. "I want you to get as much as possible. Considering that your birthday is tomorrow…"

"You…remembered that…?!" she gaped at him. He grinned even more and muttered in her ear.

"I will remember _everything_ about you," he hissed. "And I do have a present picked out for you."

"You've done so much already…" she trembled. Rick was just amazed at how Kilnak was with Nichole. It was the same reaction that Ashley gave when she first saw them together.

"Nikki," he said gently. "You are the center of my life. I only live to serve you."

"Okay, where did you pick up that line?!" she scowled at him. He grinned and hugged her tight.

"You know I'm learning wherever I can. Your internet teaches me much," he chuckled. She sighed and shook her head. When he looked over at Rick, he said, "So, you're a surgeon. Okay. You can look at Kessin's tail, but only if Joel is with you. Kessin is still sleeping. We don't want to do too much to him. We may heal differently than you, and we don't know what your medicine will do to us."

"Okay," Rick nodded. As a fellow doctor, he clearly understood that all too well. Joel led him over to the small pool of water. Liksee nodded to him, but she glared at Rick with mistrust. Joel sat down on the damp sand and gestured to her.

"He's my friend. If he does something stupid, I'll hit him," Joel said.

"Okay," she nodded. Joel carefully removed the seaweed wrapping around his tail and studied the wound intensively. Now Rick looked at the wound and whistled.

"You stitched here?" Rick asked as he pointed to where a tooth was.

"Yeah. A shark tooth was there. I had to remove it. He had a lot of blood loss," Joel nodded.

"I can tell. The muscle tissue is healing back nicely. An artery was just barely missed, from what I can tell. I'm not sure if his veins are like ours in the legs. With the major arteries, that is. I'm guessing that the fins at the base of the tail are what could have been his feet?"

"Yep."

"Can I see her fins? I want to study the color. I want to make sure there's circulation," Rick said lightly. He was in complete doctor mode. It was much like Joel.

"Liksee, can I see your tail, please?" Joel asked. At her puzzled look, Kilnak gestured for him.

"What do you need?" Kilnak asked.

"I want to make sure the circulation for blood is unaffected," Rick said. "If the color looks the same, then I'll know for sure. I don't know about your bodies, so it's good to have a comparison."

"I see your logic. Study me," Kilnak nodded. "No notes or sketches."

"I know," Rick agreed. Kilnak moved to settle on the beach, and Nikki helped remove the seaweed wrappings around his waist. Both Joel and Rick now made comparisons from him to Kessin.

"Well, his fins look healthy. No discoloration," Joel nodded. "Good idea, Rick."

"Of course," his friend nodded. Kep was watching everything carefully. Even Ashley was concerned, but she helped with the shrimp. Lisa was able to help get them to steam and fry up.

"Do you need to compare anything else?" Kilnak asked.

"Would it be all right if I felt where your bones and joints were? It's only to make sure that none of his bones were damage by the bite," Rick said. "I'll be completely professional."

"I usually only have my wife touch me in such a fashion. However, I'll make an exception," Kilnak nodded. Nichole explained where his knees would have been down to the calf muscles and the ankles. Joel now went through the medical equipment he was given yesterday, but didn't see an X-Ray machine. He would need the hospital room built before he could get one. He was sure that Kessin had no broken bones, but Rick did have a point. A hard bite could have done more that they can't see.

Rick was able to carefully feel out the bones in Kilnak's tail. He could feel where the bones had fully joined from two separate bones into a whole from the base of the spine. He didn't really feel a pelvis, but he was made aware that they likely didn't have one. He traced down from the base there to where the ankles were joined to the feet. This body was purely designed for swimming. It was fascinating. On a scientific level, it was exciting. But, he also knew that he couldn't share this discovery. Joel had warned him that many would not understand. Kilnak's people would be hunted down and exploited. And, if the media knew that they could find treasure, who knew what else would happen.

The pod was very protective of each other. So was Joel's family when it came to the pod. They were all married into it, anyways. They had every right to be protective. Rick could easily feel the small glances being done by the kids. It was the first time that he felt like an outsider among them. He knew that they trusted him, but, on being around the pod, they didn't know how he would react. It was why Joel was there. He had to keep the peace.

And why couldn't he say that he was single? What was wrong with that? After a moment, it clicked. All of Joel's kids were single. That was until they got introduced to the pod. Joel wasn't sure how Rick would react if he was offered a chance at marriage. It was always a touchy subject with him. His friend was looking out for his best interests. After another moment of reflection, he remembered what he was doing and got back into his doctor mode.

"I think I'm good. Thank you," Rick said respectfully and backed away.

"Good," Kilnak nodded. Kep was still watching everything closely. He noticed that Rick didn't have a ring on his finger. On gesturing to Joel, he leaned over to talk.

"What is it?" Joel asked.

"Does he have a wife?" Kep asked with a small smile.

"Ah…" he sighed at the merman's laugh. "I really didn't want him to do this."

"Why?" Kep asked.

"Well, granted, he's another respected doctor. I just don't think he has what it takes to have a wife from your pod. Nothing against him, but it would be too soon. You should judge him more," Joel said slowly. "You need to understand what he wants."

"How do we know if we do not ask?" Kep replied with a shrug. Joel groaned.

"Dad?" Doug frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Rick," Joel sighed. "Um…they want to ask you a few questions. Kep does, at least…"

"What? Why?!" Kilnak asked with a look of surprise. "_Elder, I do not understand! Why do you want him to have a mate? We just met him! He must prove his worth!_"

"_He is a skilled healer. That is why,_" Kep said sternly. Kilnak muttered and pressed himself into Nichole to whisper. She looked at him with surprise. He was clearly not happy. As he let her comfort him with a good backrub, Kep looked at Rick. "Are you without a wife?"

"Ah…" Rick blinked at the question.

"Dad…?" Josh asked with a raised brow.

"This is all Kep. Not me," Joel said. Ashley put a hand to her mouth and giggled hard. Lisa sighed and rested her head on her husband's shoulder. Lotisoo gave a mild glance over at Rick and smirked. Even Kina was shaking her head at her Elder. She whispered to Josh, and he looked at her like she was crazy. At her nod, he rolled his eyes. Sitari sighed and grumbled to Doug. He bit back his own form of a chuckle. He found it amusing.

"Tessoo?" Annie frowned.

"Elder talk to Rick. May give mate," he whispered. She looked at him with her jaw dropped. "It good. If happen, good. If no happen, good. Not bad."

"You think so?" she smiled. He nodded and looked over at Kilnak. At his brother's positive look, Kilnak nodded. If there was no malice felt, then he'll trust the decision made.

"Tessoo, you think it's a good thing?" Joel asked.

"Yes! Very good!" the merman nodded. "I know."

"Okay. We'll go with what you feel," Joel nodded.

"What he feels?" Rick frowned.

"Tessoo is Kilnak's younger brother. He has the ability to get premonitions of the future. Dolphins can do the same thing at times. Anyways, Kep, the pod leader, would like to ask you a few questions. He thinks you may be worthy of becoming a married man," Joel shrugged.

"What?" Rick blinked.

"It's up to you, though. Just answer his questions," he said.

"So, Rick," Kep said as he swam over. "You can swim?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Quite well."

"Okay. Can you hunt?"

"Hunt?"

"Ah, fish? Bring food to us?" Kep asked.

"Oh! Well, I did a bit of fishing when I was younger," Rick said.

"He's a healer, too," Kilnak said.

"Yes, I know," Kep nodded. "Can you cook?"

"Me? Cook? Well, if I need to make something for myself really quickly, I could," Rick shrugged. "I'm not a huge cooking fanatic, but I get by."

"As a healer, he should bypass those questions," Josh said.

"I know," Kep nodded. "It is something I need to ask."

"Of course," Josh chuckled. "So, eh, Rick. How would you feel about having a mermaid wife? To me it's like I found my soul mate."

"It was like that for me, too," Annie blushed. "Tessoo is even able to help me get revenge on the girls that used me like garbage. I had no idea!"

"Wait, what?" Rick blinked. As they told him what was going on with the pageant, Kep dove under the water to call for the oldest females of the pod.

"_A healer may be able to join us. He is single. And, yes, a Land Dweller. Of the two of you, would you like to look at him? He is older. I think as old as Joe. What do you think?_" Kep asked.

"_Well…_" Kilnak's oldest sister frowned. "_I can see. I think I am too young for him, though._"

"_I am not as old, either,_" Lotisoo's older sister said. "_Liksee just got mated to Kessin. All others are too young. I am unsure._"

"Rick!" Kep said as he emerged. "I do have two here willing to see you. However, they are both quite young to you. Around Kilnak's age."

"And I'm almost twenty-one. Nikki will be older than me by a few months as of tomorrow. My younger sister under me is twenty. Lotisoo's older sister is twenty. Same age as me. His oldest sister is twenty-two. That's Liksee. Most of the pod girls are around my age. It's rare to find an older female that is unmated," Kilnak explained.

"How old are you, Kep?" Joel asked. "I'm roughly in my early forties."

"Ah…" Kep thought.

"He's in his fifties," Kilnak grinned. Kep splashed at him to keep quiet. "My Dad is about your age, Joel. Same with my Mother. I'm a bit worried that she's pregnant again, though. There could be complications. I think it's the same with your people?"

"Yeah. There could be," Joel agreed.

"I am an expert in prenatal care," Rick smiled.

"I told you before, but I plan to have a hospital room built in their new place. You know more than I do about that stuff," Joel grinned.

"Nikki, how fast did you get pregnant?" Rick asked out of curiosity.

"Within two days of being with Kilnak," she blushed. "It seems to be longer with everyone else. I had a menstrual a week before I got out. Dad thinks I was caught at the right time."

"It's possible. But, I still find that odd," Rick admitted.

"The dolphins confirmed that she's carrying," Kilnak said as he held his wife.

"Okay. I get that. I just don't know why it was so fast," Rick said.

"She even started out the same way I did with Josh," Ashley smiled. "She had a bleeding right when she showed the signs. And you thought I was weird!"

"You are weird," Rick grinned and endured a small slap on the shoulder from her. Joel sighed and chuckled as he put a fresh seaweed wrap on Kessin's tail with Liksee's help. Rick returned his attention to Kilnak when a webbed hand was waved at him.

"The dolphins said that she and I were to bridge a gap," Kilnak explained. "That we are a very special couple. We can't be broken. We can't even be apart from each other for too long."

"It's different with us," Lisa smiled. "We're just fine."

"That's…an interesting way to put it," Rick said.

"Yeah. Anyways, do you want to see if either of our pod females would work for you? If not, tell my Grandfather. The choice is yours," Kilnak shrugged.

"Well…I suppose I could see who's interested in me," Rick shrugged. He didn't want to appear rude. He also wasn't sure if he was ready for a possible permanent relationship on such a short notice.

"Kilnak, I'm curious," Nichole whispered. "You said you had eight siblings?"

"Yes. Kina is my youngest sister. Oldest of the youngest, I should say. All the rest under her are brothers, save one near the middle of them at thirteen. She's technically the youngest. The whole pod takes care of each other. My youngest brother is eight years old. They stopped after that, but I am wondering if I'll have a sister or a brother now," he smiled.

"You have a rather big family," Nichole chuckled. "Where I'm from, only those that don't have to pay much tend to have large families. Or they adopt others in if they do have the money to support them. Currency is everything to us."

"As I can tell with the treasure," Kilnak muttered.

"So, who are the two interested in Rick?" she asked.

"Okay. Sarissa is my other younger sister just under me. Kina is younger than her. Missin is Lotisoo's older sister above him, but younger than Liksee," he said carefully to explain.

"Gotcha," she nodded. "Really big families!"

"Yes. The more to keep our race going," he grinned. A kiss was pressed to her mouth, and he turned to watch his sister and cousin. Sarissa greatly resembled his matriarch, but held her sire's eyes. Missin could have resembled Lotisoo, but she was far more slender to show she was clearly a female. As Rick studied them, he found himself nervous. For some reason, his eyes kept straying to Sarissa. He growled at himself and looked away. He could be her father!

"You look like someone just pissed in your coffee," Joel said with a small smirk. "Which one do you like? Oh, don't look at me like that! I know you too well!"

"Damn it," Rick sighed. "The one on the left has my interest. Apparently…"

"That's Sarissa. My younger sister," Kilnak said with a small glare. Rick paled. "If she shows that she likes you back, then fine. _Sarissa? He says he thinks he likes you._"

"_He thinks? Well…he looks like he can be nice. But, how do I know?_" she frowned.

"Can you swim with her?" Kilnak asked. "Treat her nicely. Okay?"

"I wouldn't know where to start!" Rick flustered. Sarissa reached out to lightly touch his hand. He looked at her with complete surprise. His jaw dropped at her soft smile.

"Nice? Please?" she said gently. She was trying to learn to talk, but it was very hard for her.

"Okay," Rick nodded, and he cleared his throat. "I'm older than you. Way older."

"It okay," she smiled again. "Swim?"

"Just talk slow with her," Kep advised. "She will get better the more she listens."

"It's how I got along," Kilnak nodded. Rick glanced down at what he wore and groaned. His clothes were clearly ruined from the saltwater, but he'd live. It was a silk set with pale green tones. Now the green looked more blue from the algae and salt.

"This is all your fault," Rick muttered to Joel.

"Who was the one that decided to come out here?" Joel replied with a grin.

"Shut up!" Rick snapped. Sarissa slapped her hand on the water for his attention and gestured to swim. He actually found himself going along with her. That shocked him. Josh died laughing. Lisa was just as surprised. Doug pointed with a gaping mouth. Ashley and Nichole were barely able to suppress their laughter. Even Annie was a bit amazed. Rick never followed orders like that before.

"See? All good!" Tessoo grinned widely.

"You saw this?!" Rick gaped at him. Tessoo nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Go swim," he said. Rick was still in disbelief, but he found himself listening to the merman, anyways. Joel was now dying with laughter. The shrimp was done, and a snickering Ashley was helping to serve it. Kina was able to get a slice of the salmon she wanted. Now that the afternoon was dying down, Tessoo started to focus on the girls he had to keep track of. At his small grin, he knew it was just a matter of time for them to settle in together. Then the fun of revenge for his bride would truly begin.


	15. Chapter 15

Misc » Misc. Movies » **Ocean Visions**

Author: silverlineage

1. Chapter 1 2. Chapter 2 3. Chapter 3 4. Chapter 4 5. Chapter 5 6. Chapter 6 7. Chapter 7 8. Chapter 8 9. Chapter 9 10. Chapter 10 11. Chapter 11 12. Chapter 12 13. Chapter 13 14. Chapter 14 15. Chapter 15 16. Chapter 16 17. Chapter 17 18. Chapter 18 19. Chapter 19

Rated: M - English - Romance/Sci-Fi - Reviews: 3 - Published: 10-27-14 - Updated: 11-15-14

id:10785907

Anna-Marie always insisted to have the slumber party at her place. She was the closest to the airport, too, and her mother always ordered the best carryout there was. Tonight, the meal was from her favorite Italian restaurant. Bowls of pasta were set out in the tiniest of portions. As much as they wanted to eat what they wanted, they didn't want the extra calories just yet. The girls wanted to fit into the intensely slender dresses that their parents got for them. None of them wanted to show off their prizes though. That was a rule they all agreed on. The only time they would see each other in their gowns was on the day of the pageant. It made everything seem a touch more fair.

"I love this lasagna!" Maria sighed.

"Don't eat too much!" Bethany smiled. Maria blinked and pouted. "I'm sure we can gorge ourselves silly after the pageant. That would be the time to do it."

"Anna-Marie! Why didn't your mother get us healthy stuff?!" Ellenore frowned.

"Are the meals my Mother chose not good enough for you?" Anna-Marie asked with a glare.

"W-well, no!" she said quickly. "I just thought we'd be keeping our figures."

"Think of it as a test of self-control. We eat just enough to keep the edge off. If we need more, we shave off a little more. Like little sheep, you simply graze," the Oriental beauty said smoothly. _And I am the one that minds the flock!_

_:Or do you?:_ a thought filtered in her head. She blinked at that and frowned. Tessoo decided to nudge that little piece of doubt right in. It was enough to cause her to stir.

"Well, I'm going to make sure that all of my features are stunning!" Carol beamed.

_:Everything you do is a failure.:_ Tessoo nudged through her head. She blinked and cleared her throat. She was going to spend extra time in front of the mirror tonight!

"I'll always watch what I eat," Maria muttered and took another mouthful of pasta.

_:You will NEVER fit into that dress at this rate! Even if you starve.:_ Tessoo smirked. Maria gasped and coughed on the piece she tried to eat.

"Chew your food! Geez, Maria! What's wrong with you?" Bethany frowned. "I'm glad I picked out everything that I had to wear. I'll make sure I fit into my dress for sure!"

_:Get over yourself. Not even your eyes go with the dress you chose.:_ Tessoo scoffed. Bethany's gaze seemed to twitch. That definitely stung. It was a solid truth and the merman was able to detect it easily from her current thoughts. She cleared her throat and took a small bite of the pasta in her bowl.

"You guys are acting weird," Sarah said. "What's wrong with you all?"

_:They will get far more attention than you. You'll be left alone in a corner and ignored.:_ Tessoo pushed through her head. Her jaw dropped and her face went dead white.

"Anna-Marie, this isn't funny!" Sarah gasped as she burst into tears.

"I've done nothing!" she retorted.

_:You've done plenty. And you know it!:_ the seething hiss whispered. Now she glanced around the room a bit nervously. _:You think you've locked everyone down. Don't you? You can't even control your own thoughts! May as well quit while you're ahead…:_

"Shut up!" Anna-Marie hissed and covered her ears. Now the other girls looked at her strangely.

"Is your room haunted?!" Carol freaked.

_:It's obviously not your head. I have a TON of space to move in!:_ Tessoo seemed to cackle.

"SO MEAN!" Carol gasped with her jaw dropped.

"If your room is haunted, then I'm leaving!" Maria scowled.

_:Better take the food. You need the extra fat!:_ the snicker spun in her mind. Now she paled and sputtered. _:You didn't even try on your dress, did you? Do you think you're too afraid to split the seams? You may as well. I'm sure the judges would love to see pinched fat rolls!:_

"What the hell is going on?!" Bethany asked when she saw her friends.

_:Heh. Too bad you couldn't ask Annie to buy you a new sense of style. Apparently, not even you would have thought of that!:_ he howled with laughter.

"Annie has nothing to do with it!" she scowled. Now Anna-Marie looked at her with a perplexed thought crossing her mind. Was this Annie's doing?! She was in the Caribbean, after all. She didn't think that black magic was done there. She couldn't really see Annie doing that, either.

_:Nah. The only real witch here is you!:_ Tessoo chuckled. The Oriental beauty screamed and rose up to run to her mother for comfort. _:You think your mother will protect you from me? After you dry up her wallet and force her to starve herself to give you everything you need? You ungrateful bitch!:_

"Stop it!" Anna-Marie gasped.

_:Doubtful it will stop. I'm just your conscience. It's about time you listened to me!:_ he sneered. _:Now I see why I shut myself up for so long. You're as spoiled on the outside as you are on the inside! Rotten eggs look better than what I see here!:_

"No…" she whimpered. "Not true…!"

_:And guess what? Your greed and lies attracted me out. You and your friends are gonna have a looooong night! And I doubt that your parents will let you cancel the cruise. It's paid for in full!:_

"Who are you?!" Anna-Marie demanded. She tried to remember what ghost shows she watched, but she never paid attention to such things before.

_:Your worst nightmare.:_ Tessoo said in a calm, matter-of-fact way. Then he decided to go silent. He wanted to give them a false sense of security. It worked. She went to her mother in tears and let herself get consoled and pampered in the ways that mothers knew how to do. Now that Tessoo knew that it was the mother that started the whole spoiling bit, he thought of what else to say.

It was an hour later that things started to settle down. The girls managed to get back into their routines of bragging and useless dreams of what to do with their lives. When it was time for them to settle down for bed, he decided to strike. Sensing which one was drifting off to sleep first, he attacked.

"Rest well, girls!" Anna-Marie's mother said as she closed the door. "I'll wake you all in the morning before the flight!"

They all said goodnight and tried to sleep. Tessoo poked through Ellenore's mind and hissed. _:You have a balding patch. Is that why you wear the wig?:_

The girl sat straight up and glared around her. The other girls were sleeping. With a deep, shaky breath, she lay back down and muttered, "Leave me alone! Bug me in the morning!"

_:No.:_ was the single thought that hit her. She cringed. He turned his attention to Bethany and smirked. _:You're better off wearing plaid. At least you'll stand out enough for people to point and laugh! It may even look better than staring at your face.:_

"The hell?!" Bethany growled and sat up. On looking at Ellenore's trembling shiver, she knew that the tormentor returned. "I won't let you get to me! I'm blocking you out!"

_:Fat chance. Only way that will happen is if you don't sleep! Even then, you LET me get away with it! I honestly think you thrive on negative attention!:_ he laughed. She sputtered and looked at the other girls. It was frowned on to stay up all night. The bags under her eyes would not do well for her at all. With a tight frown, she reclined again to try and rest. Now Tessoo attacked Maria with a pitiful sigh. _:No matter how much yoga you do, it won't help. Trust me. I know.:_

Maria sat up now and punched her blanket. Bethany and Ellenore looked over at her with silent knowing. They agreed to wake up the other two.

"We have no choice!" Ellenore whispered. "I'm sure they'll just wake up, too."

"Yeah. Not sure what else to say about this," Bethany muttered. She was getting cranky.

_:You may as well wake up. They may let you sleep to talk behind your back. It's what they do to girls that are left alone, you know?:_ he nudged into Sarah's mind. Now she sat up and glared. Then she gasped at how the others were whispering about her.

"We were about to wake you up," Maria said. "We are all being kept awake!"

_:Oh, look! You told them all to sleep, but they are all awake! Good job!:_ he said cheerfully to Anna-Marie. Now she popped her eyes open and glared at the others when she looked at them. When she saw the distress on their faces, she found out why.

"Just ignore it!" she snapped. "We need to sleep!"

"How can we sleep if we're just gonna get woken up?!" Carol asked.

"Find a way! Block out the thoughts if you have to!" Anna-Marie growled. The other girls looked at each other and back at her.

_:Block me out? Really? You can only block out ghosts, you know. And you think you can ignore me? Look at how you all are reacting now! The only way any of you are going to get any rest is if you all drop dead!:_ he chuckled. He was able to contact all of them at once. It took a bit more effort to do, but, as long as they were all together, it wasn't as hard as he thought it would be.

"Did you hear that?!" Sarah asked.

"We're not gonna be able to get any sleep?!" Maria cringed. Carol started to fight off the tears of frustration. Bethany was starting to feel just as miserable. Ellenore was just taking in deep breaths to keep herself focused. Anna-Marie had enough. If she couldn't sleep with them, then she'd talk to her mother. Walking down the hallway, she paused as she heard her mother and father talking in the kitchen.

"We almost didn't have enough to pay the bills this month," her father said.

"At least we didn't have to pay for the trip!" her mother argued.

"After this, we need to stop with the pageants. We can't afford them anymore. You spent three thousand dollars on a dress. A dress! It's only going to be worn once! Then what is it going to do? Sit in a closet and collect dust like all the rest? We could sell half of what she has and make back half the money, but we won't be able to touch them. She won't let us. I understand emotional attachment, but just to wear something once and then never again…we can't do it anymore."

"We'll have to make sure that she wins the prize money. That will fix everything, right?"

"Even if it does, you'll want her to do more pageants. I want to see her married and starting off a family already. I don't want her to live with us for the rest of her life! And, I know, not just anyone will be with her. But, let's face the facts. She won't be suitable for anyone. She's too picky. She's too rude. She wants too much. The bills are getting higher. We can barely afford to feed ourselves now. We have to start cutting back, or we'll be in danger of losing the house. You know this. You saw the latest bills."

"All right. This will be the last pageant. If she comes to me to ask, what do I tell her?"

"To talk to me. You can't let her hide behind you anymore. It's time for her to grow up," her father said softly. Anna-Marie heard them hug, and she looked at the floor. When they hugged, it meant that they both agreed on a decision. That it was final. She slowly made her way back to her room and let the tears fall. How could she survive out in the world? She was sheltered all her life!

_:Looks like the dog is getting kicked to the curb at last, huh?:_ Tessoo actually sympathized. _:Since you just learned this, I'll cut the mean streak for just a few minutes. If I were you, I would do this. Tell the other girls what you just heard. It's quite possible that their parents are coming to the same conclusion. It's time to start thinking about your careers. Sure, you can try to snag the rich man and fly through life. But he'll want kids. Face it. Your figures are done after the first child.:_

"Who are you?! Just…please tell me…" Anna-Marie begged.

_:If you must know…:_ Tessoo mused. _:I'm not Annie. Annie is too nice for this. It's like I said before. I'm your conscience. That little voice in the back of your head that helps you with reason. Right and wrong. You ignored me for a very long time. The guilt trip was long overdue. So, as you reflect on your life with the others, I'll be right there to pester and prod every nasty memory you've ever had. Fun stuff, huh? Maybe it's time to drop the leashes on the others. You can see what it's like to let them lead their own lives at long last!:_

"They are mine!" she fumed.

_:So much for growing up.:_ he jabbed. She paused with shock. Then she swallowed hard. _:You still hate the fact that Annie figured you out. You still plan to go after her. You wanna know what will happen if you do? Here's a nice, shiny hint. The next thing your parents spend on you will be a funeral coffin to bury your ass six feet under! _And you know it_.:_

Tears fell down her face now and she hunkered down to her knees. When her bedroom door opened, she didn't hear the surprised gasps from her friends. She didn't feel them carefully bring her back into the room to close the door behind her. When she came around, she saw five girls looking at her with complete concern. All of them were being tormented by the same conscience. Was it a conscience? She didn't know anymore. She knew it was the least of their worries now. For the first time in her life, she was going to take some advice. It was a big step for her.

"I just…found out…" Anna-Marie said with a careful breath. "That this may be my last pageant. My parents…really have no more money to offer. I heard them talking. I know I have my pageant money from other contests I've won, but my Father wants to see me married off. Living on my own. I know he won't openly say it, but I heard him talk about it with Mother."

"Wow," Bethany blinked.

"That's crazy!" Sarah gaped. "I could never see myself married!"

_:That's because no one likes you.:_ Tessoo smirked. It was time for the mean streak to come back. At the quiet look she gave, the others groaned slightly. From then on out, the moment any of them tried to comment, he was quick to jab a response. He actually liked playing the part of the guilty conscience. They obviously never had one before.

He did give them credit, though. They tried to work with him in shifts. He made sure they failed miserably. He was keeping his vow to Annie. He promised to give them hell. All through the night he tormented them with the odd memory. When they tried to sleep, he twisted their dreams on them. He showed each one exactly how vile they were. He decided to make it a personal goal to humble them. To show them that they were not perfect. That it was time to shatter the fantasy.

He didn't want them to try to find him and his family, though. They wouldn't be accepted. They didn't swim. They clearly couldn't cook. And he knew they would never even think about fishing. He was able to find this out by pushing various thoughts through their dreams. The reactions they gave would have him laughing for weeks. The most that he would do right now was sucker-punch their mental psyches as much as he could. He did lay off them an hour before they were to be woken up. He knew exactly how they would look and react to the morning alarm clock.


	16. Chapter 16

Back on the island, he was holding a sleeping Annie. Rick was convinced by Sarissa to try sleeping on the island with her close by. He hated to admit it, but it was the first time he actually slept straight through the night. It was just approaching dawn, but Tessoo was wide awake. Kilnak was mildly napping. He was waiting for his trident to get back to him.

"_How did it go?_" Kilnak asked. He was cradling Nichole with a gentle rocking motion.

"_It turns out that Anna-Marie's pod is in trouble. They are having problems surviving. They want her to find a mate. She overheard them talk. Otherwise, those females are going to be trying to get what sleep they can. It's doubtful,_" Tessoo chuckled.

"_They will have to sleep as they travel here,_" Kilnak shrugged. "_But, you were able to speak with them? That's funny!_"

"_I even tagged them all at once. That was a bit difficult, but it was worth the effort,_" he grinned. "_I did it before when they were apart. It was much easier when they were close together. As for speaking to them, I let their own thoughts form the words I wanted. I may not be able to speak well physically, but their own mental strength was their weaknesses. I know that when they come here on the device, they will try to rest. It will not be enough. I'll tag them whenever I feel it's needed._"

"_You did promise Annie that you would do so. Ahh. Today is Nikki's day of birthing. I do have a surprise for her. I'll let her sleep, though,_" Kilnak smiled.

"_What do you have planned?_" Lotisoo asked from where he was. Even he was mildly napping. He had been continuously mating with Lisa when he could. He wanted offspring.

"_A massive feast. Then a lot of yellow ore to be given to her,_" Kilnak chuckled. "_There was quite a bit that we had that wasn't seen yet. I am giving all of it to her. Joe also helped me purchase something else, too. But, that's a big surprise that I don't want to talk about just yet. Lisa was able to have Joe pick up a few things for me, too. Hmm. Elder hasn't returned yet, has he?_"

"_Not yet,_" Tessoo sighed. "_He did leave to find the others. I feel nothing bad. If anything, I feel…excitement! As though something else was found. I think._"

"_Really? We'll have to see,_" Kilnak mused. He gave his musical purr to his mate when she threatened to wake up. She started to fall back to sleep, but she fully woke up when she got sick off to the side. Kilnak grimaced, helped clean her up with a quick swim and got her some water.

"Ugh…" she shivered and rinsed out her mouth.

"It's fine," he soothed and rocked her. He whispered to her of what Tessoo did to have her chuckle with him. "Oh. Nichole…"

"What?" she sighed.

"Happy twenty-first birthday," he smiled and kissed her hard. She wanted to retort, but didn't have the strength to do it after her illness. "When my family comes back with my trident, I'll give you your present. Okay? Don't look at me like that!"

"I don't want any gifts…" she mumbled.

"You'll accept it from me. Considering that it's one giant gift," he grinned. She gave him a wary glance. "You don't have to worry about a thing. This is all me."

"I have no choice, huh?" she frowned.

"Not today," he nodded. She groaned and he laughed softly.

"What's going on?" Rick asked when he woke up. "It's not even daylight?!"

"It's Nichole's birthday," Kilnak nodded.

"That's right, huh?" he chuckled.

"Shut up!" she growled. Sarissa blinked awake and was told what was going on. She laughed softly and snuggled into Rick's chest. He yawned and found himself getting drowsy again. When his cell went off on the small beach slope next to him, he went to grab it.

"Dry your hands!" Kilnak said quickly. Rick blinked, realized his hands were rather damp and chuckled. He was able to dry them with a towel and answer his phone.

"Hello? Oh! Hey, boss! Ah, I'm on vacation. In the Caribbean. Yes. I can't leave and go back now! You told me to take a few days off! I can't do that. No…I haven't booked a flight back. Roger, I can't go back right now! Ugh…" Rick sighed.

"What's going on?" Nichole frowned.

"They need me to go back to the hospital. No, I'm talking to Nichole, Joel's daughter. Yeah, she got married. No, he's still on vacation, too. Until next week. He's not with me!" Rick growled.

"Give me the phone?" Kilnak grinned.

"No!" Nichole hissed.

"Why not?" he growled and nibbled her neck. "I'm rich. I should say that I'm buying both Joel's and Rick's services. I should tell them that."

"Trust me, okay?" she said and nipped his chin to make him cringe with lust. "Hmm. I wonder if I can do something to you. I have an idea."

"What idea?" he asked with a sly grin.

"When I see Joel again, I'll have him call you," Rick agreed. He hung up the phone and tossed it aside with a small groan. Sarissa frowned and began to rub herself against him. She didn't want him to leave. He found himself hugging her with a sigh. He looked over when Kilnak let out a sharp, hissing gasp of intense pleasure. Nichole managed to give him a hicky.

"So, it worked," she grinned. He was still shivering and shaking all over. She had made sure to clamp herself around him before attempting anything. Lisa had jolted awake from the sound and looked over with irritation. Then it turned into amusement at what happened. Rick was just dying with laughter.

"Not…fair…" Kilnak managed to whimper out.

"It's my birthday. You should know that today is _my_ day," she grinned. "Oh! I need to get the other side. Don't I?"

"Nikki…" he panted. Another cry tore from his throat when her mouth planted on the opposite side. She made sure to get right next to the flap of skin on his neck. That was where it was the most sensitive. He couldn't think. He couldn't move. Whenever he moved his neck, he was going to feel it all over again until the sensation wore off. "Bad…Nikki…"

"You like it when I'm bad," she growled in his ear. Then she gave the two new marks a hard lick to each. "Let's see. Normally, I get spankings on my birthday. Twenty-one of them. You can get me back later. Right now, let's see if I can experiment on licks for you. Shall I?"

"I think he's dead," Lisa grinned. Lotisoo was now very nervous. "What? You want me to try it with you? Or not right now?"

"Um…" her husband shivered.

"How about this…" she grinned and whispered to him. Now he looked at her, pulled her close to claim her under the water and nodded. Rick just couldn't believe what he was witnessing. He'd shout at them to get a room, but that was pretty much impossible. At least he couldn't see anything. At the sound Lotisoo gave next, he noticed that Sarissa was blushing incredibly hard.

"What?" he asked her. She just blushed even more. He hadn't been with her yet, but that was only because he wasn't sure what he wanted. At the glance she gave him now, he sighed. "Look, I honestly don't know if it would work between us…"

"No like me?" she frowned.

"No! Nothing like that!" Rick said quickly. "I just have…um…different needs…"

"I…thought we…um…" she swallowed. Now she looked away. She was clearly upset over this. Kilnak glanced over and narrowed his eyes. As much as he couldn't move, he didn't like seeing his sister upset. Rick grimaced and found himself hugging her.

"What needs are you talking about? To be on land?" Lisa asked now. "Josh, Doug and I plan to live in an estate near the water. Dad could even live on it, too. Annie may even be joining us. We'd all have our own little houses with underground waterways for them."

"Really? Huh. It would make sense. But, I mean…to just up and leave everything I knew…" Rick frowned. At the look Sarissa gave him next, he found himself caving in. "Well, I never did much to begin with. I don't think trips to the Caribbean will be allowed for any other doctors after this, though."

"I can only imagine," Lisa laughed softly. Josh and Kina were still sleeping. So were Doug and Sitari. The new pod was going to grow by leaps and bounds. Joel and Ashley were on the yacht.

"Are you alive?" Nichole asked her husband.

"Barely," Kilnak managed to grin back. He glanced over at his dolphin companion.

"_Come see! Quick!_" he clicked out.

"Nikki, I need to follow my friend. He found something," he smiled.

"Okay," she nodded. He kissed her, set her on dry sand and dove down into the water. He did find himself cringing from the sensitive spots she made on his neck, but he focused past it. This was important. It involved her birthday present. On the way to his location, Kep found him with the others to give back his trident. They were very pleased.

"_Where are you going?_" Kep asked.

"_I have a birthing gift for Nikki. My companion told me to look,_" he chuckled. "_How is the weapon? Does it work well?_"

"_I want one,_" the main pod hunter grinned. They all laughed at that. "_It was very easy to spear with! Far more precision when thrown, too. Of course, our usual weapons are better for gripping, but we may put three tips on instead of one. It's better for holding fish, too._"

"_Good to know,_" Kilnak nodded.

"_Oh. We also found more yellow ore,_" Kep grinned. Now Kilnak blinked at him. "_It's why it took us a bit longer to come back. We find more at the deeper depths. More of our kin are finding even more sunken devices. We are exploring them all. I know of the surface you wish to give to Nikki. Joe was able to acquire it, too, right?_"

"_He told me that he did,_" Kilnak nodded. This was something that the others didn't know of. Nichole was going to be the owner of another island. This one was to be as untouched as possible. It was a thirty minute swim away and could be used as an emergency retreat. A small generator with basic supplies were hidden away in a small tunnel that was dug out in the sand. There were a lot more hidden tunnels under the island, and it was here that all of the hidden gold and treasures were going to be stored. Proper defenses would be set up to ensure that it was fully protected.

Even Bobby didn't know of this island's exact location, but he did help ensure it was purchased. When he questioned it, Joel gave him a slight white lie that the island was sacred to the Merfolk by being an ancient birthing ground that they coveted. That it was used as a nursery of sorts. That they wanted the island purchased strictly for their use. Kilnak was quick to even agree with his own stern tone about it. His word went unquestioned.

Michael, the agent they went through to get the first island, knew the location, but it was only to record that the island was privately owned. Defenses were actually being put around this island first. He was told that it was a touch more important than the first island. This island strictly belonged to Joel, but would be transferred to Nichole as a birthday gift.

Since the island was smaller, it was much less to purchase. It was also much hotter here from natural humidity. The island, itself, was only a mile around. Rocks covered every outer part, save the one way in that had soft beach. Unlike the first island that was covered in trees and rocks, this one was a bit uncanny. The island seemed dip in just enough to hold an expansive lagoon with a waterfall.

The beach wasn't that far off from the small inner pool, and Kilnak could even climb up the beach to the lagoon to swim into it, from what Kep told him when it was inspected. He even confirmed that the water was fairly pure. As water rushed through the island crags of rock, it got sucked up and through the small streams that made the waterfall happen. The rocks also acted as a natural filtration system. If any saltwater managed to get in, the salt was simply absorbed into the stone. There were practically no parasites this way, too, when the water was tested. The water that fell from the waterfall was pure and free of salt. Nichole could have her emergency supply of water here.

Helicopters could only land on the frontal beach. Parachutes could be deployed to get into the lagoon, but that was if they timed the tricky winds just right. They planned to protect the wildlife around it, but the Merfolk removed any rare corals first. They would be set back later. It was another reason why Joel was spending a bit more time on the yacht. He was dealing with a mess of phone calls from Michael, the defense builders and other suppliers that he had to keep touch with.

"_Does the other healer plan to join our pod?_" Kep asked.

"_Sarissa likes him. She may have him stay,_" Kilnak said.

"_I will ensure he stays!_" Mirn smiled. Soosnik ran his hand over her belly with a smile of his own. Kilnak was just a touch surprised that they managed to make another sibling for his already growing pod. At the clicking of his companion, the others now looked over with surprise.

"_May we see what you found?_" Kep asked.

"_Sure!_" the dolphin squealed. They followed him to the new island. Kilnak started to worry about Nichole. He forced the sensation down. This was important. He'll be with her the moment he saw her. Kep noticed how strained Kilnak was.

"_You should go back to Nikki,_" he said.

"_I'll be okay. I need to see what was found,_" Kilnak said grimly.

"_No. You are suffering. We will tell you what was found. Go back to her,_" his sire said.

"_Sire…_" he cringed.

"_No. Go back. She is likely stressed now. We can't have her stressed! Think of your offspring!_" he growled. Kilnak gave out a small whimper and swam back swiftly. It was well past twenty minutes. He didn't realize that his companion was taking him to the new island. He needed Nichole with him. He had spotted the island from areal images and Kep had located it. He hadn't actually seen the place yet. Joel did get pictures for him, but he couldn't travel there without his wife. Since this was surprise for her, he would see the island first-hand with her when the time came.

When he surfaced, Nichole had already gotten sick from worrying. Rick was at her side to assess her, but Kilnak was watching him with a furious glare. He should be fine with him, but when Nichole was weak and next to someone other than him, it sparked a rather nasty emotion in him. He was also holding his trident. He was getting ready to use it.

"_Kilnak! He is helping Nikki! She got ill! He is good!_" Sarissa said quickly. Tessoo moved quickly to place Annie on the beach, and he pulled Rick away from Nichole. Lotisoo was already at Nichole's side to bring her to Kilnak as fast as he possibly could.

"_Take your mate! Swim with her!_" Lotisoo hissed. Rick was just in shock at what was going on. Lisa was now able to whisper to him of what just happened. Annie woke up with a small groan and found Tessoo already pulling her back into his arms.

"Tessoo?" she frowned. He pressed a webbed finger to her lips to remain quiet.

"Kilnak…" Nichole gasped through her tears.

"I didn't know I was being shown something that far off," he muttered and rocked. "I'm back now. My family will find out what it is. My Father had me come back. It's okay. Love Nikki…"

"Love Kilnak…" she shivered. He gave her the musical purr that she needed to hear.

"_Don't go to our main surface. Land Dwellers are there now,_" Tessoo grimaced. Kilnak growled, but he squeezed his wife to him. Neither of them were calm. At the gesture for a small dunking, she nodded. A quick, ten second dunk gave them what they really needed. She still clung to him, but they were finally calmed.

"Where did you go?" Nichole whispered.

"It involved your birthday present. It's…a bit of a ways off. Joel helped me get it. Something was found there, but it's about thirty minutes away," Kilnak sighed. "I can only be away from you for twenty. Oh. I got my trident back."

"I noticed," she blushed softly. He had managed to keep hold of it while holding her. "It worked? They were able to test it?"

"Yes. Did you rinse out your mouth?" he asked.

"Yeah. Rick helped me. He didn't know why I got sick. He was making sure our baby was safe. He did say that I needed to drink more water," she nodded.

"Okay. Rick, thank you. I'm sure that Lisa told you why I got pissed off at you," he smiled.

"Yeah. Twenty minutes apart and you go nuts? Geez! It won't happen to me, right?" Rick asked. "I mean, yeah, I'll always want to come back…"

"You stay?" Sarissa asked.

"If I can…" Rick started. At her look, he found himself chuckling. "It will take me a month to get everything moved here. I don't know if I can rent a place on land, though."

"Keep your home until we have ours built," Lisa shrugged. "That may be a few months away."

"Good idea," he nodded. "I'll have to go back to work in about three days. Could be sooner if they call me back. It would be unlike me to not go back."

"Well," Kilnak thought. "You and Joel could go back together to give your notices. I'd say instant quit on the spot. I know that's what he plans to do. I'm not sure about you."

"I honestly don't know," Rick admitted.

"You're going to want to come back to see her," Nichole smiled. "She can't swim to Maryland. She could, but it's too risky for her to be seen."

"I don't want to put her in that situation," he muttered. Sarissa was clinging to him now. She bonded herself to him. She wanted no other. She looked at her brother and told him this.

"My sister imprinted herself to you. You're stuck with her," Kilnak grinned. Rick's jaw dropped. "It's only obvious with how she is with you. We mate for life. So, it's a done deal."

"Shit…" Rick sighed. "Well, I can see about moving my stuff out here…"

"When the house is built, I can front the money," Kilnak nodded.

"Um…how are you rich, exactly?" Rick asked now. Lisa nuzzled her husband and watched him swim down the tunnel to pull up the chest of Spanish doubloons that was originally given to Nichole by the pod. He hauled it up, set it down in front of Rick and opened the chest.

"My pod found this. It was, actually, my dolphin companion that found it. He led me to it. I originally used a few coins to get close to Nikki. We decided to give the rest to her to start buying stuff for us. Like the yacht and the island. This isn't all of it," Kilnak grinned. Rick was stunned. They were treasure hunters?! It would make sense, though.

"Oh," Nichole smiled. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What's that?" her husband smiled back.

"What do you call gold in your language?" she asked.

"Ah. We call it yellow ore. Same with silver, being gray ore. We don't come across copper, though. Or any others. Pearls are what hold true value to us. As you know," he said. "Oh, my Grandfather said that even more treasure was found. It's why it took them a bit longer to get back to us. They had to transport it to safety."

"More was found?" she giggled. Rick couldn't believe what he was hearing. Tessoo looked over at Lisa with a small glance.

"What's up?" Lisa asked.

"Ah, make food? Cook? Um…" he frowned. "_We need to have food ready. It's important._"

"Startup breakfast," Kilnak said. "It's needed."

"Gotcha!" Lisa nodded. When Nichole moved to help, he pulled her back.

"Your birthday. No work for you," he grinned. She gave him an odd look, and he grinned even more. Rick was resting against the damp sand of the pool of water he was in. He couldn't believe that in less than twenty-four hours he had his clothes ruined, got sneezed on by a dolphin, likely got engaged and was now thinking of dropping everything he ever did in his life. When Sarissa moved to press against him, he found himself sighing. It was likely worth it.

"What's on the list of things to do now?" Lisa asked when she started up some salmon frying.

"When my pod gets back, we'll see about gathering up the others. I need to show off Nikki's gift," Kilnak said. "Then we need to see what Josue thinks about the crown. What he has in mind, that is. After that, we need to check on the fish market supplies. We'll need to see about the island building construction. I overheard Joel talking to that appraiser for defenses. We need to see to that, too. Tessoo will likely keep those snotty brats in check. Oh! We need to fit the pearls in those clasps. First thing to do. Doug can help with that, since we may need to weld them shut."

"That's right," Nichole nodded. That was important. It was her status symbol in Merfolk society. She had to have those displayed at all times. As the fish, lobster, shrimp and crab meat started to cook and give off delicious aromas, the others started to wake up.

"This is like waking up to the smell of coffee," Josh chuckled. Kina looked at him with a loving smile, and he squeezed her. "Feeling okay?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Hungry!"

"I figured that," he smiled. They started to share a large plate of food. He made sure she got more for the little life in her. On thinking about what his kid could look like, he did recall what his father said about health risks. At his sigh, she looked at him with concern. "Oh, just…thinking about stuff."

"What?" she asked.

"What our kid's gonna look like. Small worries," he shrugged.

"When we get the ultrasounds going, I'll see what happens," Rick said.

"Okay," he nodded.

"And, if you're thinking of doing the same field of medicine that I do, I may have you study and do certain things under me to learn," Rick said. That had Josh nodding with complete agreement.

"So…you stay?" Sarissa smiled.

"I may have to make a few trips here and there. But…" Rick sighed with defeat. "Yes."

"Um…" she blinked at him. On looking at her curiously, she finally pulled his face to hers to kiss gently. When it deepened, Nichole could only smile and chuckle softly. Rick was now locked in.

"Good," Kilnak muttered. "Hey, Joel!"

"Hello, and good morning," Joel smiled. He hauled himself onto the beach with his dolphin companion's help, and he dried himself off with a waiting towel. At the sight of his friend making out with his new betrothed, he cracked a grin and shook his head. "Well, I guess he's staying here when all's said and done. What's the first thing on today's list?"

"Nichole needs her pearls to be set in their cages," Kilnak said seriously.

"Done. Lotisoo and Doug can both help. I think we have a small welder here. I made sure to pick one up in case something happened. Ah! Here it is," he said when he examined where the small, make-shift toolshed was. It was only a couple small shelves in tarp, but it did the job. "Ashley! Do we have Nikki's jewelry? Or was the trident the only thing brought over?"

"I have the rest over here," Lisa said. She brought out the velvet cases and gave them to Joel to inspect. Annie had finished eating with Tessoo when she saw the ring that was brought out. She seemed to pout at how beautiful it was.

"Annie," Tessoo said softly. "When birthday?"

"Oh! Um…not until next year. In March," she said.

"Okay. I have one made. Later. Will be gift," he nodded. She beamed at him and got squeezed. Kilnak chuckled softly and now watched Nichole give over her two pearls. The large, three inch pearl was given over first. Kilnak gently placed it in the cage and snapped the top down. Doug took the welder and carefully melted the gold to permanently seal it. It was set aside to cool off, and the same was done to the ring cage. After ten minutes, they were inspected, polished up a bit with a cloth and Kilnak placed them on Nichole. Josue said to wait an hour, but that was if the entire ring was heated.

"Don't take them off," Kilnak muttered in her ear. She looked even more stunning with them. The pod showed instant respect when they saw the pearls. It was a given.

"I won't unless you remove them," she said softly.

"Like your jewelry?" he smiled and placed the next custom made black pearl ring on her finger. It was large enough to fit on the middle finger of her right hand. At a thought, she swapped the ring that matched her jewelry with the pearl cage ring to show that it was her wedding ring. The lesser ring was put on her right ring finger. Kilnak saw the importance of this, and he nodded. "I like this. I want you covered in riches and wealth."

"Then I won't be able to move!" she pouted.

"Just means I get to carry you," he grinned. She gave him the usual look, and he nuzzled and squeezed her. "I need to show you your birthday gift. Joel? Is it ready?"

"Some finalization is being done, but we can go there now. No one's there," he nodded. "At least, that's what I was told."

"I check," Grynkar said. He knew of the island in question. Several dolphins went with him to assist. When he was last there, nothing was around the island. They did transfer gold there just a bit ago, and several larger dolphins were able to linger from the plentiful fish. There was actually an opening under the island that went behind the waterfall. There was a cave system here. Various nooks and crannies could easily store mass amounts of wealth easily. All of it was hidden with overhangs of seaweed and mud rocks. As he let his night vision kick in, he studied the area. Something felt off.

The dolphins sensed it, too. When Grynkar turned, he saw other pod members there. Tessoo told them to help, and Joel was on his way with the yacht. Nothing was disturbed in the cave, but he just felt that something else was there. That the island had an unwanted visitor.

When Joel finally got to the beach with his dolphin escort, Ashley stayed on the yacht. When he looked around, he found the unidentified raft that was pulled up and out of sight on the beach. Frowning at this, he got on his cellphone.

"Michael? Hi. It's Joel. Someone is camping out on my island. Yes. The defenses were just now set in place? Funny. I didn't see any defenses. I was able to guide my yacht straight to here. No, I saw no guideposts or warning signs. Right. Okay. So, they aren't placed along the side I appeared from. You want to survey what was done? Fine. Contact Bobby Sterling when you get in. He'll send you here with his helicopter. Thanks," he said and hung up the phone. "Okay! Whoever is here needs to come out right now! This is private property!"

"It is? Dude! I told you so!" a young man with brown hair and bronzed skin walked out of hiding. Another man appeared that was shorter in stature with blond hair. Both looked like surfers.

"I don't know who you guys are, or how you got here. You have to leave. Security will be here soon to escort you off by air," Joel said and crossed his arms over his chest. "I am the owner of this property. You both are trespassing. There should have been warning signs to turn back. They didn't reach this side of the island yet."

"Oh. We saw those…" the first man said. "We found our way here in another direction."

"And you ignored them?" Joel asked with a glare.

"Well…" he started. His friend gestured for him to shut up.

"There's another reason why you're here, isn't there?" Joel asked.

"That's our business! You'll get nothing outta us!" the second man said.

"Fuck. That," Joel growled now. "Why are you here?"

"We don't need to tell you anything!" the second man said.

"Then you'll answer to the authorities when they get here," Joel shrugged.

"I'm not going to jail!" the first man spat.

"Then leave," Joel said.

"You leave first," the second man said.

"I own this island. I don't have to do shit," Joel said.

"No you don't," the first man scoffed.

"I have an island appraiser coming in right now with paperwork. Wanna doubt me again?" Joel asked. "I'm also rich. Very rich. Keep talking."

"Dude, shut up!" the second man grumbled and nudged his friend. "Fine. We'll leave."

"Who's that?" the first man asked as he pointed at the water. Joel turned slightly to glance over. Even he heard the splashing. He seemed to grimace. Kilnak brought Nichole over. She had her massive dolphin protector with her, too, and she was riding up on Kilnak's back to stay with him. She was wearing her black and gold swimsuit with all of her current jewelry. She was there to play as the spoiled rich girl. Kilnak felt it was fitting. When she was close enough, she gave Kilnak's shoulder a squeeze and moved from his side to stomp up to the small group.

"Daddy! What are they doing on my island?!" she pouted hard.

"Nikki…" Joel said lightly. At the sight of Kilnak's tail slipping silently from the water's surface, he grinned. The two men were dead if they touched her. "You aren't supposed to be here."

"I was told that this island was a gift for me!" she said. The two men were fixated on her. She was still wearing makeup. Her hair was still up in the jeweled pins. She was simply stunning. "My husband bought this island for me. Didn't he?"

"He did," Joel nodded. "Through me, he did. And the appraiser will be here shortly to sign it over to you. Okay?"

"Who are they?" she gestured to the two men.

"Intruders that won't tell me why they're here," Joel growled.

"Get off my island!" Nichole snapped at them. "You don't need to be here!"

"What a spoiled bitch!" the second man muttered. That was what Kilnak was waiting to hear. He swam up into the cave that Grynkar led him to. He was able to pass unseen through the waterfall cave and into the lagoon. The area was lined with seaweed to keep him from getting scratched on any sharp rocks. He also had his trident with him, as well as a blow gun. And that little weapon was armed with jellyfish neurotoxins. It was easy to catch a jellyfish and cut a few strands of it off. Then each strand was carefully wrapped around small pieces of coral. With experimentation, the effect would paralyze for an hour. The stronger the jellyfish, the deadlier the toxin.

They had to be careful on using it, though. They weren't immune to the effects, either. They were able to use something akin to tweezers to hold the ammunition steady and twirl it around the strand as it floated in the water. It was easy and safe to do that way. Then each readied dart was loaded into the tube of coral to use. Nichole had given them the idea before to try it. Kilnak got the idea of using jellyfish strands from watching a nature video about them and their feeding habits. The weapon was popular for bringing down birds that stole their kills. They were good to eat, too.

"What did you call me?!" Nichole hissed at him. "Today is my birthday! I didn't ask for this place! My husband got it for me! I told him not to. But, since he did, I have no choice but to accept it. My husband is here, you know. He actually heard what you said. And he's an avid sportsman. I wouldn't be surprised if he saw you as something he could hunt."

"Nichole, I got this. Go swimming," Joel said to her. She huffed and strutted into the lagoon water to dive in and down. Kilnak carefully pulled her to him and had her cling to his back under the water. It didn't hit the frantic point yet, so it was fine. He let her surface a bit for some air, and she kept her legs on his shoulders. He actually liked this position and would make use of it later. As for now, he had two humans to take down. And he had two darts to use. One was in the weapon. The other was in a small seaweed pouch at his side.

He watched each man below the surface of the water. Nichole was able to make it seem like she was standing in shallow water. She and Kilnak had practiced this technique when other humans got too close to the main island by accident. All she had to do was sit on Kilnak's shoulders and stretch her upper body up as though she was walking. It was easy to do when she was close to the beach. The water wasn't exactly crystal clear from the waterfall, so his natural camouflage worked perfectly.

When Joel caught their attention again, Kilnak carefully rose up the edge of the blow dart to just above the water. Then he launched the small dart to hit the back of the neck of the first guy.

"The fuck?!" the man hissed. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Fucking bugs!"

"Well, it is an island. I'm not surprised," Joel shrugged. At the mention of bugs, Nichole ducked herself into the water as though to protect her skin. The tactic worked. "Just stay in the water, honey!"

"I know, Dad!" she called back. She pressed herself against her husband's back and kept a firm grip on his shoulders. The second man was now aimed for when the dart was carefully reloaded. He shook the dart out of the seaweed pouch to keep from touching it and let it drop into the tube. When the second man felt a sting in the back of his neck, he yelped.

"Good thing I use bug spray," Joel smirked.

"Dude…I don't feel so hot…" the first man grimaced.

"What…hit us…?" the second man muttered as the paralysis started to kick in.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Joel sighed. "The island is patrolled by natives. With paralyzing dart guns. I think you both became targets. You should have obeyed the signs you saw. They're put up for a reason, you know? A pity. Don't you agree?"

"I…" the first guy mumbled and ended up falling to the sand. His friend was next in line. Kep soon appeared with a sigh.

"Bind them up?" Joel asked.

"Yes. Then I will ask questions," Kep nodded. Kilnak rose up from the water and cradled his wife. When he looked at her, he saw that she was now able to show her true emotions about the island.

"This place is just…amazing…" she whispered.

"And it's yours," he smiled softly. "Happy birthday, Nikki. I love you."

"I love you, too," she shivered. They kissed hard, and Joel preoccupied himself with binding up the two men with tough seaweed vines. Now he'll wait patiently with the Merfolk for them to wake up and get some answers. Some much needed answers.


	17. Chapter 17

The men woke up slowly after an hour. They were blindfolded with damp seaweed over their eyes. Joel had searched around the raft, and he found metal detectors and a small stash of food. They were looking for treasure. Kep was now very curious as to why they picked this island out of all the others. That had him worried.

"I'm going to test how well these work," Joel said. "Bring me one coin, but bury it in the sand. If this clicks, then it can detect it. If it doesn't click, then it's not very strong on finding gold."

"Okay," Kep nodded. It was done rather quickly, and Joel activated the metal detector. When nothing happened with the coin being three feet deep in sand, even at high voltage, nothing was found. It was when the coin was less than a foot below that he got the proper clicks.

"This is a weak detector. Most fairly are. Stronger ones can go to a little over a foot under the ground, but this is pretty basic. It will do the job, but only in the right area," Joel mused.

"We have a few things here," Kep said lightly to keep from being overheard. "Do we need to hide them lower? Or is it okay?"

"It should be fine. As long as nothing is buried in loose sand, it's all good," Joel nodded. At the sight of the two men shifting around, he turned his attention to them. "You two are now captives to the natives of this island. They know just enough speech to talk to you. If you piss them off, they'll roast you over a spit. Talk to them. Now."

"Why you here?" Kep asked with broken English. He made sure to have the odd tone to his voice. He had agreed with Joel to act as primitive as possible with his speech around people like this.

"Huh…?" the first man asked. He was still trying to wake up.

"Why you come? To home?" Kep said carefully.

"Hired…" the second man mumbled. When he said this, he coughed and tried to hide the word, but Joel had already heard enough. There were only two people that knew about this new island. He took out his phone and made a call.

"Bobby," Joel said with a touch of tension in his tone.

"Is there something wrong?" Bobby asked.

"I'm on Nikki's new island. Tell me. Do you know where this island is?"

"Not off hand," he said. He was telling the truth.

"Okay. I need to know. Two men made their way here. After they got downed with paralysis darts by Kilnak, they admitted that they were hired to come here. Who else knows of this island?"

"Wait…you're serious. Hmm. Okay. I know we have a man in the travel agency that takes a look at various island properties. It's how we were able to push the sales through for the islands for you so far. He would be the only other one that would know where this new island is located."

"Okay. These men came with metal detectors. For gold."

"Shit."

"Exactly. If they were hired, we need to know by who. And we need to stop this from happening. They saw the warning signs. They ignored them. Now I know why."

"Let me make a couple calls. If others are going above my Boss, then he won't be happy."

"I trust that he wouldn't. And if he's working behind our backs, he better stay the fuck away from me, my family and Kilnak's family. We are helping him turn a tidy profit. Either an underling got greedy, or he's testing his limits. This shit _has_ to stop. People will get killed," Joel said lightly. "As of right now, I don't know what to do with these two men. They came on a raft. They will leave on it in pieces if we don't figure out what to do with them."

"I get that," Bobby frowned. "If I start asking around, whoever sent them will think I'm onto them. I'm honestly not sure what I can really do."

"I have an answer," Kilnak said from where he reclined on the lagoon beach with Nichole. "Give me the phone. Let me talk to Bobby."

"All right," Joel nodded and handed it over. He kept an eye on the two men, but they couldn't remove the damp blindfolds if they tried.

"Bobby," Kilnak said lightly. "I want you to go straight to your boss. Tell him a LOT of treasure was found, and that I am willing to part with a few high quality pieces to send directly to him. But ONLY if he will help find out who sent these men. Yes, it's a risk, but I have to take it. I need these infiltrations to stop. If he wants to meet with me, I won't meet him. I refuse to go to that extreme. You will send him any pictures of the treasure I am willing to part with if he agrees to help."

"I understand," Bobby nodded.

"Now, if these men decide to cooperate with us," Kilnak smirked. "I won't have to send anything. So, the faster you help me get the support…"

"I understand," Bobby said again with a chuckle. "I'm sure he'll want to find out, too."

"Bobby," Joel said when he grabbed the phone back. "Michael, that appraiser, plans to be out here for defensive measures. He was going to grab you."

"Oh? Okay. I'll make sure to be available. Mitchell is currently with his mother. She demanded for him to escort her around today," he said.

"Good. Stick to that. Maybe he can go to the pageant with her," Joel grinned. That had Bobby laughing with agreement. When the phone disconnected, he judged he had about ten minutes. Looking over at the men, he walked towards them and crouched down. "You both have, roughly, ten to twenty minutes before Bobby Sterling's boss gives him an answer. To what question? To track down your boss. So, you have a choice. Confess. Or don't confess. If you confess, you won't have to go through his boss. If you do, who knows what will happen to you."

"I'd prefer to gut them, break their limbs off and use them for shark bait," Kilnak seethed. Nichole kept her arms around his neck and chest.

"Go swim with my daughter. Figure out what treasure would be appropriate," Joel said lightly.

"Wait," Nichole thought. "Those two. There were others out here to build defenses, right?"

"Yes," Joel said. The two men seemed to shiver. She was onto something.

"Are they still out there? Building? If they are, we should see if they're missing two members of their crew. Because, if they are…" she started.

"They may have been sent with them in disguise," Kilnak finished for her.

"And that means," Joel glowered. "That Michael may have inadvertently given information to the enemy and may not have known."

"Could it be Michael? His assistant, even?" Kilnak frowned.

"Or a leak. Bobby did say that he had a guy on the inside that helped with the island," Joel sighed. "This is bad. Anyone could know of our islands."

"Well," Kilnak grinned wickedly. "I plan to do something."

"Like what?" Joel asked. At Kilnak's gesture to come over, he nodded and got up to hear the whisper. He barked out laughing. The pod already planned to change up the defenses.

"Oh, I do want you to do something for me," Kilnak said.

"What's that?" he asked. He sat on the beach by the lagoon and completely ignored the two men. Kep was keeping a close eye on them, anyways.

"When the house is built," Kilnak muttered in a low tone to keep from being overheard. "I want one room to act as a dedicated freezer. We'll store food supplies there."

"Makes sense," Joel nodded. "Medical supplies could also be put there, too, if needed."

"Yes. Anyways, you may want to contact Ashley. Let her know what's going on. Nikki and I need to go over what we may give to Bobby's boss. We'll be back shortly."

"Go ahead," he agreed. Kilnak swam with Nichole to the waterfall, and he was able to slip behind it. Once in the large cave, she found it pitch black.

"I can't see a thing!" she scowled.

"Good," he muttered in her ear and kissed her hard. "That was part of the idea."

"It's not fair!" she mumbled in his kiss. "I can't see anything, and you can see just fine!"

"It comes with being a merman," he grinned and kissed her again. "Love Nikki."

"Love Kilnak," she sighed with defeat.

"Besides, you're pregnant and it's your birthday. Don't fight me," he smirked. She mumbled something, and he started to laugh at the insult. "Haven't heard that one yet!"

"Don't you even dare!" she warned. He purred in her ear, rubbed a webbed hand over her belly and squeezed her to him. "Maybe I'll just fall asleep. I'm tired enough, as it is."

"You can," he said gently. "There's no rush."

"I wanted to see what you were planning for Bobby, though," she yawned. She was incredibly comfortable in the warm cave. The waterfall provided natural shade and cooling from the humidity.

"That's if he calls Joel back," he whispered. "It's fine if you want to sleep for a little bit."

"Maybe…ten minutes…"

"We can do twenty," he chuckled. Right after he said that, he was supporting her weight. He carefully swam to the back of the cave with her. There was a natural ledge here, and he was able to stretch himself out on it as he supported her. He continued to focus on his musical purr to keep her calm. While he busied himself with her, Joel was staring down the two men. They still had blindfolds on with their limbs bound up. They knew the clock was ticking down.

"Answer now," Kep said carefully. "Where you from? How get here?"

"It's like she said," the second man finally answered with a heavy frown. "We came to help with the defenses. We were told to, well…"

"That treasure was used to buy this place and to find it," the first man finished.

"And what made you think that treasure was here?" Joel asked.

"Dunno…" the second man shrugged.

"Islands have stuff. Sometimes," the first man mumbled.

"Who sent? Who tell you come?" Kep asked in his purposely broken talk. "Talk! Now! Or die! You have choice!"

"We don't know who it was!" the second man broke. "We were paid! That's it, man!"

"So, you don't know who your employer is? You just…accept a job and do it?" Joel asked.

"Yeah," the first man said. "We're like, open mercenaries. You know? Thugs. That's it! Honest! We just get a phone call and go!"

"Interesting," Joel muttered. "You both know who Bobby Sterling is, right?"

"Yes…" the second man moped. "We did some jobs for him, too."

"On the side. Like, boat work and stuff," the first man said. "Good pay."

"Honest pay, maybe. But, snooping around here is a death warrant," Joel growled. "You have both overstayed your welcome. Now, I want to know. Do you both have the number used to call you?"

"It was a payphone," the second man muttered. "Local number."

At this, Joel paused. It was a local number? That meant the man who hired them was in the Caribbean. This didn't bode well. And if he was local, then how did he know about the island? It could be pure luck that it was found out. When his phone rang, it was a local Caribbean number and unknown. Clearing his throat, he answered, "Hello?"

"You should be a nice guy and just say where the treasure is. There was no need to bind down my men," a heavy voice grounded out.

"So, this means you have surveillance on my island," Joel said with a touch of amusement. "Well, you should know better than to contact someone that's a step ahead of you. Apparently, you weren't paying attention to your sound feed. Or you just have video, but no sound. Bobby Sterling's top boss may be looking for you soon. And, you'll love this! He's getting treasure just by finding you. Because, if he doesn't call me to let me know that he found you, he doesn't get any treasure. But, if he knows where you are…"

At that, the phone suddenly disconnected from the panicked gasp. Now that the man knew he was the one being hunted, it was going to make it that much more fun for Bobby's men to track him down. Kep looked at him with amusement. "That man bad?"

"Very," Joel nodded as he dialed up Bobby. "Hey, Bobby! The man gave his location away with a number. Think you can trace it? Good! Here it is…"

He read off the number that appeared. Bobby was going to forward this to his higher up personally. Then Bobby said, "Any information on the two men?"

"Trained thugs that you hire out on occasion," Joel sighed.

"Two of them, right? Ah. I know who they are. They're a bit innocent in this. They just do what they're told. Send them back to me and I'll set them straight," he said.

"Done. Kep, ah, need dolphin. Take stupid people back. Use orange float thing," Joel said. He tried to make it seem like he was trying to talk simple to keep with the façade. Kep cracked a grin, nodded and swam off to rally the pod. It was funny listening to Joel talk like that!

While the two men were now sent off with all their equipment in the raft they used, thanks to a couple aggravated dolphins, Joel wondered where Nichole and Kilnak went. He dove into the lagoon for a much needed swim in the pure water and made his way to the cave. He was able to carefully walk into it, and he just barely saw Kilnak's form on the small ledge with Nikki. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cave, he noticed he was being stared at. The light from the cave entrance was conflicting with Kilnak's natural night vision. With the wave that he made to the merman to show who he was, he was waved at back with a gesture to keep quiet.

"She's sleeping," Kilnak said lightly. "She got really tired."

"Ah. That's fine. The two men are gone. Bobby knew who they were," Joel said and sat down.

"Interesting to know," Kilnak muttered.

"He didn't send them. However, the guy who did send them had decided to call my phone. What this means is that he got my number from the same place that knew of our island. I can only think of the island agency. As much as I would want to go through another source to get our islands, these guys are the main ones. I'll raise a stink about this to Michael when he gets out here. Much like I did when Nikki was threatened and I shouted at the hotel staff," he mused. Kilnak looked over with interest. He didn't know about this.

"Fill me in? I want her to sleep more," Kilnak said.

"Sure!" Joel grinned. He talked about the whole incident from start to finish rather easily. Kilnak was now thinking rather hard.

"I think I should meet with Michael," Kilnak said slowly. "Only because he will understand the seriousness of this issue. I know, it's risky. Everything is a risk. But, if something goes wrong, he will need to become our main security contact. I've been thinking about this quite a bit."

"It is risky," Joel frowned. "Oh! Hey, Kep."

"Joe," Kep nodded as he slid into the cave. "What is going on?"

"Kilnak wants to meet with Michael over security," Joel said.

"Hmm. If he does, I will, too," Kep nodded. "Oh, I have to tell you. Remember those divers? Um, the men in that one boat? Not the bad ones…"

"The researchers?" Joel asked. Kilnak looked over with a small growl.

"Yes. My pod has been watching them. They are slowly circling our island. They are not trying to come close. They are only trying to find out what they can at a distance," Kep sighed.

"I don't like that," Kilnak said. Nichole blinked awake and yawned. He ran a webbed hand over her back and told her what was going on.

"Okay. You want to meet with Michael. Fine. You know what you're getting into. As for those other guys…ugh! What do they want?!" she muttered irritably.

"Curious. You know how it is," Kep shrugged.

"Let them stay curious," Kilnak grumbled.

"I second that opinion," Nichole nodded.

"Kilnak, there was something else," Kep said.

"Yes?" he asked. To show the seriousness of this, Kep switched to their native speech.

"_Two of our Fin Folk left for where Annie used to be in Land Dweller territory. They have yet to return. We tried to call for them, but they have not responded,_" Kep said with a touch of worry.

"Nikki, I need to call for two of our dolphins," Kilnak said. "They went missing."

"Go!" she nodded. Even she knew that this was important.

"When did they go missing?" Joel asked.

"They were sent in case Annie couldn't get here," Kilnak explained. Nichole moved to let him swim out to the main ocean. Five minutes later, he was back to show the message was sent to either come home, or to help get them home. Grynkar showed up a couple minutes later to report that the two dolphins were seen swimming back. They took longer because they were carrying another wounded merman with them. At this report, Joel was quick to get back to the yacht to have Ashley drive it back to the temporary island. He had to prepare another area for a possible patient. Kilnak would have to check on them later. He wasn't done with Nichole's island yet.

"Should we go back, too?" Nichole asked.

"Not yet. I kinda wanted to show you this cave," he smiled. At her small smile back, he swam to another hole in a wall to reach in and flip a small switch. The cave was rigged with electric lighting, thanks to Joel. Of course, waterproof casing was set over the wires and control box with the large battery pack. Now her eyes widened that each small niche in each wall was filled with various treasure artifacts ranging from coins, gems, jewelry, kitchenware and various pieces of armor. She even saw an actual circlet of a simple woven strand of gold! She was simply speechless. Even when he came over to pull her close, she didn't know what to say. She could only gaze at him in sheer wonder.

"You…found all of this?!" she gasped.

"Yes," he chuckled.

"Oh…what did you plan to give to Bobby?" she asked softly.

"Nothing from this cave. There is more space under the island. Something from there will be offered," he grinned. At her look of complete surprise, he said, "Everything in this cave is for you. And, don't worry. More will be added as time goes on. Happy birthday."


	18. Chapter 18

While Nichole was looking over her new surprise of wealth, Joel was having Lisa and Josh help prepare another area for a merman. Rick was quick to start looking over what they might need to have ready to go. Tessoo was already showing his worry. That wasn't a good sign.

"What can you feel?" Annie asked.

"Hurt really bad," he winced. "Maybe too bad."

"Was it from a shark?" Lisa asked him now.

"Ah, yes," Tessoo nodded. "Big one. I think."

"Shit," Joel grimaced. "I need more dried out seaweed! Needles! We need everything ready!"

"Morphine?" Rick asked.

"No. We don't know what our drugs will do to them. Do we know how far off my possible patient is?" Joel asked as he washed his hands.

"He is here," Kep said grimly. "We may be too late."

"What? Oh…fuck…" Joel's jaw dropped at the sight. He could barely tell that he was looking at a merman. He had bled out so much that he was hanging on by a thread of life. Even the two dolphins that found him on their return looked very sad. "I need to do a transfusion of blood! We need to stitch him up! I just…who am I kidding? We don't have anything for this…do we?"

"His tail…" Rick whispered. The tail was severed over halfway off and long gone. That was where all of the bleeding came from. The back of the merman was in shreds. It was almost as though whatever attacked him simply skimmed its teeth down like a razorblade with deep gouge lines and took off over half of the tail with what it grabbed from the back. He could have survived if it was just his back that was wounded. This was on a completely different scale of injury.

Rick was forced to comfort Sarissa from the shaking she was doing. Liksee was just horrified at the brutal attack and quite glad that Kessin was in a deep sleep. Kina was already grieving as Josh comforted her. Even Lotisoo was showing his own form of sorrow while holding Lisa. Tessoo was looking away and kept an arm around his wife as she was pressed into him. He was keeping her from seeing it. He knew that such a sight would give her nightmares. Doug and Sitari were hugging each other and looking away, too. No one knew what to do now. The damage was far too much.

"_You can rest now. Be at peace,_" Kep said softly to the dying merman. Sure enough, the merman passed on a few minutes later with a soft sigh that his body would be tended to.

"He's gone, isn't he?" Joel sighed.

"It is for the best," Kep said sadly. "His wounds were…too much."

"Oh, the poor dear," Ashley said with a soft frown of sympathy.

"I'm glad that Nichole wasn't here to see this," Josh muttered and rocked Kina.

"Same here. But, what do we do with the body?" Joel asked. Rick started to put things away, and he glanced over at a small idea that came to him.

"We will do what we can," Kep said.

"Um," Rick said cautiously. "There's no way we can study the body, can we? To see what we can do to help prevent this? To…open it up? I mean…"

"Hmm…" Kep seemed to think hard.

"As much as he has a point," Joel said with a grim look. "I don't think this one would work."

"No, it should be okay," Kep said with a nod. "As long as we treat it with respect. Since you will be healing our people, it would be best. Lotisoo should learn, too. As much as this hurts, it will help."

"Lisa should join him, then. She wants to learn veterinary medicine. She needs to learn this, too," Ashley said. Lisa seemed to cringe, but Lotisoo was already agreeing. "Same with Josh for learning about the kids."

"Not Annie," Tessoo said with a shake of his head.

"No, she is fine," Ashley agreed. Tessoo refused to let Annie see the body, and he swam off a bit with her to keep her calm.

"All right. Oh! Someone should tell Kilnak," Josh suggested. Grynkar was sent off to do that. It was a good thing they did. If Kilnak saw such a thing being done to one of his people without consent, he would have been completely livid. As much as it was to learn about medical properties for other kin, the desecration of the dead would have been too much.

Kilnak decided right away that he and Nichole were to remain at the island. The last thing that Kilnak wanted was for Nichole to see a dead merman. And, with the way the wounds were described, he didn't want her to worry that it would happen to him. It would stress her out far too much. Grynkar was quick to agree, and he swam off to tell the others.

"What happened?" Nichole asked.

"The wounded one…he died," Kilnak frowned and hugged her. "His wounds were very bad. His tail was almost gone. His back was…hard to describe. Um...no skin. Really long bite marks, too. All down it. It was too much. He lost more blood than we thought."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. He smiled and continued to hug her tight.

"He was likely another Lone Wanderer. We didn't know him. I was also told," he muttered. "That Joel and Rick are going to study the body. Our insides. But, they vowed to be respectful, too. As much as I would be against it, it is to help us if something goes wrong. My Grandfather agreed to it."

"I'm sure that the body will be tended to when they are done," she nodded. "What do you normally do with your dead? If it's…okay for me to ask."

"It's fine," he smiled softly as he cradled her. "We would tie heavy rocks to them and let the bodies sink to the darkest depths. That is what we would do. Sometimes, we would either pass out their belongings to remember them, or we would let them sink with the body."

"We would bury our dead into the earth," she nodded. "And we would try to hold on to valuables to pass down, too. But…when it comes to how I want my body in the end, I think I would want my body to be with yours. If it happens…"

"Shut up!" he winced and hugged her tighter. "Don't…talk like that…!"

"You do that to me all the time!" she whispered.

"It's one thing if I do it!" he growled. "It's another if you…no…"

"Love Kilnak," she smiled.

"Love Nikki," he swallowed and kissed her hard. Then he jumped at her tickle to his side.

"And don't tell me to shut up!" she scowled to get him smiling again. "It's my birthday!"

"Then let me worship you," he grinned wickedly. All thoughts of the dead merman were suddenly pushed aside as the change in topic happened. On the temporary island, the merman's body was being thoroughly examined. The ribcage was carefully pulled open for the small autopsy to be done. When the skin was removed over the chest, they could only wince at the shattered ribs that were exposed. There was nothing that could have been done, anyways, if any attempts were tried from how the shattered pieces had pierced several vital organs. The damage was that severe. Various sections of the skull were now shown with the skin peeled back. If they had a proper bone saw, more would have been revealed to them. They had to work with what they had.

"Very large spleen," Rick mused. "It could be like water mammals. Stores extra oxygen?"

"It's possible," Joel agreed as he looked through the marine biology book. "The soft spot on their head is all fatty tissue. Dolphins have the same thing for sonar, I think. That would make sense for getting sound. And…all of the major blood vessels ran down through the tail. He bled out the moment the tail was gone. If the tail was still there…"

"He might have lived," Rick finished for him. "But, he still would have suffered from the chest trauma. Yeah. I get ya on that. And, like I thought, no hip bones. Ah, they are there, but very small. Almost gone. It looks like there's just enough there to let them bend for swimming. That's about it, though. It would make the most sense, you'd think."

"Hmm…" Lotisoo thought. He never imagined he'd be learning so much about his internal workings. If he was to be an advanced healer for his people, he needed to learn this. Kep was right about that. Even Lisa and Josh were amazed at what they were learning.

"Okay. That should be enough. Let's let them take this body. If we come across another, we can learn more. I don't want to do too much to a corpse of theirs. It's not right," Joel said. "We don't have a way to chill the body, either."

"Agreed," Rick nodded.

"Finished?" Kep asked lightly.

"Yes. We may look at others, but we don't want to spend too much time with one," Joel said.

"Good. We will take care of him. Kilnak and Nikki will be told that it is safe to come back. Kilnak did not want Nikki to see this. He was afraid that she would get scared," Kep said. The body was now carefully wrapped in heavy seaweed and taken away by the pod. At the sight of Tessoo and Annie coming back, Joel saw how relieved Annie was on knowing that the body was gone. When he thought about what Kep said about Nichole, he could only wince.

"Good idea," Joel sighed. "Very good idea."

"Kilnak should come back now," Tessoo said.

"You think so?" Annie asked.

"Yes. Others are trying to come. Not good," he frowned.

"Who?" Joel asked.

"They came before," Tessoo thought.

"Ah. The researchers. Okay. I talked about that with Kilnak before coming back here," Joel agreed. "Do they plan to do something stupid?"

"Yes," Tessoo winced. "_Elder, they are getting bold. They need to be warned to stay back!_"

Kep turned and hooted out a command. The Merfolk pod left quickly to prove a point. Ten minutes later, they came back with snickers and giggles. Tessoo could only grin at what they did.

"Did they play with the boat?" Josh asked with his own grin.

"Yes," Kina nodded. He hugged her and paused.

"Kina, you need to swim. Your skin feels dry," Josh frowned.

"Oh?" she asked.

"He's right. All of them need to swim again. The humidifier does help, but only by so much. Kina, go and swim, okay?" Joel said. She nodded and any others that had to swim were quick to join them. When they got back from the swimming laps, Kilnak was there with Nichole. A few gold and jeweled cups, cutlery and jewelry pieces were brought with them to give to Bobby for his boss.

"It's a shame that we couldn't save him," Nichole said to Kep.

"Yes. But, no more pain," Kep nodded. "He is better now."

"I know," she nodded and they gave each other small hugs. "There was something that I was curious about. I'm not really sure how to bring it up…"

"Try," Kep chuckled.

"I'm not really sure how to handle babies…" she admitted with a small blush. "Your babies are a bit different, too. So, I don't know what I would be doing. In a way."

"Ah. Yeah, you'll need to start somewhere," Kilnak smiled. Looking over at his pod, he said, "_Nikki would like to learn how to play and work with our young. To train for herself. Can any help?_"

"_I can!_" a nursing mother smiled and swam over with her baby. "Nikki! Ah, here."

"Oh!" Nichole smiled and found herself holding the baby. Kilnak actually blinked at her with a small gasp. Now he knew he couldn't wait for her to hold their baby just like this. Annie and Lisa were now given small lessons in parenting, too. The other nursing mother was a touch wary, but Kep was there to show that all was fine. Their mates were also there to ensure that their young would be safe. Ashley couldn't stop the giggles that escaped her at the sound of laughing babies when they got tickled. It was just too cute! Even Joel found himself grinning a bit. Laughing babies tended to be addictive.

While the babies were tended to, Tessoo focused his attention on the girls in the plane. All of them were sleeping. With a smirk, he was able to twist their dreams on them rather horribly. Now that the nightmares were set, he leaned back against the beach with a rather happy sigh. He felt good.

"_What's on your mind?_" Kilnak asked when he swam over.

"_I gave those Land Dweller females a rather, eh, nice thought,_" Tessoo grinned. "_They were all sleeping, so it was easy to do._"

"_That's right. And I wanted to check on Nikki's gift._ Joel! Did Josue contact you about crown ideas? Those girls will be here soon," Kilnak said.

"Right. Let me call him," Joel nodded and grabbed his phone. On dialing the jewelry store, he waited for an answer. "Josue! Excellent! Just the man I wanted to talk to. Yes. Oh? Send them!"

"He has ideas?" Annie asked.

"We'll find out," Joel nodded. At the diagrams that were sent to his phone, he showed them to Annie and Kilnak. She was thrilled that he was able to work in a gold lace design. It would seem almost veil-like from how it attached from the front and flowed over the sides in small, delicate spirals. They seemed to end and merge along the side base of the crown to twist into it.

The front of the crown had a slight V form to house a large pearl. A twisted gold loop would be securing it in place and dotted with small diamonds. Small, flower-like designs with the petals cut in diamond cut slants were centered in each spiraled coil and along the edges of the crown rim. The result would be a truly sparky and glittery crown. It would be purely over the top and a worthy prize.

"I like it," Kilnak smiled. "How fast can it be made?"

"Let me see," Joel said and called Josue back. "Hey! You have a seal of approval! How fast can it be made with the fakes? Really? Hah! Awesome! By tomorrow? Great. Okay. When the real crown is done, take pictures to advertise it. Put a fake in place. Right. Ah, you can send the crown to us. If Bobby can't bring it, I can pick it up. Two days? Got it. Yes, I'll bring the treasure for trade. I may as well collect it. Wonderful. I'll see you then."

"So, it can be made in time?" Kilnak asked.

"The base was already done. The pearl was already set. It was just the extra stuff he had to do that he wanted an opinion on. In that sense, half of the crown was already done. Huh?" Joel blinked at his phone going off. He answered it carefully. The number was unknown. "Hello? Yes, this is he. Oh. Is that so? Interesting. And you got my number through Bobby? I see. Okay. Yes, the equipment is wonderful. Thank you. It may be possible that an ultrasound machine may be needed, but only after the home is built. Yes. Yes. I'm hoping for a month. Maybe two. But, that's if everything is favorable. So, you did catch the one at fault? Ah. Well, I can have a dolphin deliver the treasure to you. Even Bobby, if he's able to meet with me. I'm afraid it would not be feasible to meet face to face."

"Who is that?" Kilnak asked. Tessoo was growling. That made him uneasy.

"Excuse me," Joel said and muted the phone. "It's one of Bobby's higher ups. The guy was caught and questions of the treasure are being asked. I was also asked to be met with."

"No," Tessoo said sternly. "No meet."

"Let me talk to him," Kilnak said and dried his hands.

"Are you sure?" Nichole frowned. Tessoo gave a small smile to show it was fine.

"No meet. Talk on, um, phone, is okay," he said.

"Good. Give me the phone," Kilnak said.

"Hello? Yes. Ah, the main treasure hunter, Kilnak, would like to speak with you. Here," Joel said and gave over the phone. "Got it?"

"Yep," Kilnak nodded and answered it. "Hi. I'm Kilnak. I understand that you got the guy that tried to infiltrate my new island. Good job. I'll have the treasure given to you by Bobby."

"You have my thanks," the soft voice spoke back.

"And you have mine," he said in kind. "I will send you some pictures of what I intend to give you. All of it is priceless, and it's six different pieces."

"Only six?" the voice seemed to pout.

"Yes. Why? What were you expecting?" Kilnak asked with a hint of wariness. "I could make it nothing, you know."

"Six is fine," the voice said with a touch of irritation. The man was not used to being spoken to like this. Kilnak knew that he just irked this man.

"Good. You have your rules. I have mine. But, if you show a bit more respect to me, I can add an extra four items to the list. Maybe," Kilnak said casually. That made a small touch of hesitation. "I know I have a rather intricate necklace, too. Even a matching ring…"

"I would look forward to doing further business with you," the man now said. He gave in to the greed. "I can have Bobby deliver the items."

"Then we have an agreement. Nice talking to you. Good bye," Kilnak said and hung up after the man did. "That was interesting."

"Treasure helped," Tessoo thought. "He thinks…um…hmm. _He thinks that you are onto him. That you know more than he does. The moment you offered more treasure in exchange for respect, he pounced on it. He's very greedy._"

"_I know. All Land Dwellers seem to be. If not all, then most,_" Kilnak sighed. "_Was that the leader I spoke with? The one that Bobby follows?_"

"_No. He wants to be a leader, but he is not. He is close to being one. So, above Bobby, but not quite. That's the impression that I was getting. He heard talk of treasure for help of catching the bad Land Dweller. He is trying to claim it for himself,_" Tessoo winced. "_You need to tell Joe._"

"Joe," Kilnak said. "That was not Bobby's highest boss. It was one above him, but not really him. You need to call Bobby. Tessoo says you need to."

"On it," Joel nodded and called up the man. "Bobby. I just talked to someone. So did Kilnak. This guy said he got my number from you. That the intruding boss was caught, and the call was to claim the reward. Tessoo said that he felt that it wasn't your top boss. You might want to tip him off."

"I'll do that now," Bobby muttered with his own form of irritation. "I know for a fact that the man we are hunting down was not caught. Give me a few minutes."

"Take all the time in the world," Joel nodded. "No rush from me."

"As always," Bobby sighed. After he hung up, Joel could only grimace. Way too many individuals were trying to hound them for treasure now. It wasn't good.

"_Hide the yellow ore for now,_" Kilnak said to the pod that was there. "_When the others come back, I would like to know where the other Land Dweller device is._"

"_I can find out,_" Grynkar nodded and swam off. Tessoo started to show uneasiness. Kilnak noticed that and seemed to tense.

"Kilnak?" Nichole frowned.

"I'm fine," he said softly. "Too much is happening right now. I don't like it."

"Well, what would you be doing if you hadn't met me?" she smiled.

"I refuse to answer that," he smirked and turned to kiss her. "Love Nikki."

"Love Kilnak," she giggled and kissed him back.

"It's those researchers. That's all," he admitted. "Hmm. You need to drink more water. And you need to eat, too. Go do that. Okay?"

"Eat with me?" she asked. He nodded and swam her over to the beach. The meal of fresh lobster tail, grilled shrimp and steamed crabmeat was easily demolished by them. A bottle of water was swallowed down right after that. Joel checked on Kessin and answered his phone when it rang.

"Hello? Ah. Yes, we just spoke. I also just spoke with Bobby. Well, apparently you lied about capturing that man. Unless, you're the man in question? No? Okay. Then why did you lie about it? Look, I'm not the one in charge of the treasure. Kilnak is the one in charge. He just goes through me to give it out. And now that we know that you lied to get at the treasure, you are being hunted down," Joel growled. At the sudden shout over the phone, he heard a scuffle. Then another voice took the phone.

"I am Bobby's boss, Alexandros Valentino. The one contacting you was a fraud. Is this the one handling the treasure that I'm speaking to?" a rather stern tone with a slight foreign accent asked.

"My name is Joel, and, yes, I help distribute what is found," Joel said.

"You have my apologies for being duped like that. This man was under our radar for some time. As for the leak, it has been found and will be plugged soon. Within the next two hours. May I take a note of your number to contact you once this is achieved?"

"Yes. I don't mind that. I also use my phone for business and work, so please be frugal with it."

"I can do that. I'm not going to ask what deal was made. We will stick to the original deal between us and what was discussed with Mr. Sterling. Agreed?" he asked.

"Definitely. I only request that you do not put my number on any phones. I do not wish to be traced. We need to stick to Bobby being my contact for you to keep my records clean," Joel nodded. An affirmative to his request was given easily. When the dial tone was heard next, Tessoo showed a small nod. "I did _not_ want them to find out my fucking number! Damn it!"

"Would you change your number?" Ashley asked.

"After the house is built and after I leave my job, yes. I will definitely change it," Joel muttered.

"If any try to go after you, they will need to come out here. If it's in the air, we have blowguns now. In the ocean, well, they're screwed," Kilnak smirked. "_Tessoo? What do you think of all this?_"

"_I don't like it. The ones that want our yellow ore are all bad. As long as they agree to what we tell them, then it will be okay. But, if they refuse…_" Tessoo frowned. Kilnak growled and let his wife hug him a bit more. "_I sense that they are working with us for now. Nothing has changed. The ones working with us can be trusted at a distance. Not up close._"

"_I can agree with that,_" Kilnak nodded. "_If any of them show up here, they're dead. I refuse to speak with them. They can go back on their device._"

Tessoo nodded at this. He wouldn't want to speak with anyone, either. He focused in on the girls again and sent another nasty vibe to them. He knew exactly how to get rid of this negativity. The girls were about to have a very nasty plane ride for the rest of the flight.


	19. Chapter 19

Josue was very pleased with himself. The tiara was his best work yet. Photos were taken for his personal portfolio, and he began to take other promotional pictures for the pageant. The fake crown was easily displayed now, and it looked exactly like the original.

"We have the newest shipment of pearls," his assistant said.

"Good! I'll sort through them shortly," he nodded. He sent a text to Joel to let him know of the tiara being ready for delivery. He was expecting another day, but his crew and jewel skills turned it out much faster than he thought. The tiara was now placed in a specialized safe that was hidden from sight, and the false one was set in his usual safe. Just as he walked out of the back room, he noticed that his assistant had her hands up in the air. He cringed at the gunned man.

"Just give me what ya got in the safe, buddy," he growled under his mask.

"Okay. You don't want anything out here?" Josue asked.

"Just the safe," the man growled again. He nodded and calmly walked into the back room. He opened the safe, and he hid his smile that the false tiara was inspected and taken. "This will do. Don't do anything stupid!"

"Of course," Josue nodded. After the man left, he called Joel. "Your fake crown was just stolen. The real one is okay."

"What?" Joel asked with disbelief.

"I can have it replaced by the end of the day. I wisely put the real one in a different safe," Josue chuckled. Joel found himself laughing.

"I'll be over right now to get the real one before that asshole comes back," he said. Josue could only agree. When Kilnak was told what happened, the merman started laughing hysterically.

"He took the fake one?" Nichole asked with a grin.

"Yep. Now I'm on a time limit in case that guy goes back to rough up Josue," Joel sighed.

"Bobby. Call him," Tessoo said. That had Joel nodding with complete approval.

"Hello?" Bobby asked.

"Hey! Josue's fake tiara for the pageant was just stolen. Send a couple of your guys to make sure that other guy doesn't come back. If you could? I have to pick up the real item now before the mistake is found out," Joel said. When Kilnak tossed over a ring, he said, "Kilnak's paying for your support with a very nice ring."

Bobby was heard laughing softly as he agreed and hung up. Then Bobby mused and called up a couple local pawn shops that he knew of to report the theft. Now that they were aware that a fake crown was on the loose, they would likely see to it getting returned to Josue. Of course, that was if the man stopped by them. A tip was passed around to a couple other places, too. By the time Joel reached the mainland, the gunman was caught. After he was caught, he was told that the crown was a complete fake. That pissed off the guy completely, but he was only told this after he was sitting behind bars in a police station. And it was said in front of the other inmates.

"You steal fake shit?" a man asked.

"Shut up!" the thief growled. It was the whole reason why it was said. Within the next two hours, Joel had the proper tiara safely on board Little Star. Josue delivered it personally to him. He even gave over the new pearl shipment. When Joel's phone went off, he answered it.

"Hello? Kilnak! Yes. I have Josue here, actually. Really? Huh. Well…" he paused. Then he blinked at an incoming call from Michael. "Hold on. Michael's calling me."

"I may as well meet with them both," Kilnak said. "See if Josue is free."

"Josue, do you have any plans?" Joel asked.

"Ah. Not right now. At least for a few hours," he said.

"Would you like to meet the treasure hunters? Do be warned, though, they cannot be talked about. Pictures cannot be taken of them," Joel warned.

"That is fine. Discretion of such knowledge is needed," Josue nodded and contacted his assistant to let her run the shop for a bit. Ten minutes later, Michael appeared with his briefcase in hand.

"Your assistant isn't here?" Joel asked.

"He got fired for sexual harassment at work," Michael sighed. "Anyways, I'm here with some blueprints and information that we need to get this going."

"You seem kinda down about losing him," he said.

"He was excellent at what he did. His mind just…wandered around in all the wrong places," Michael sighed and shrugged. "After what happened here before, would you have expected any less?"

"True," Joel nodded. Bobby soon appeared to show he would be driving the yacht. Ashley was back at the island, so Joel moved to toss a couple mackerel to his guide to have her lead them. Then he saw Grynkar hiding off the side of the boat. "Hey! Grynkar!"

"Joe?" the merman asked and cautiously surfaced.

"I'm bringing the jeweler and another to help with security. Kilnak wants to meet them," he said.

"Oh! Okay!" the scout nodded and dove under the water. As Joel went back down to talk to the two men, the scout spent fifteen minutes swimming at top speed to the island to report.

"Good," Kilnak nodded. "_What do we know about those Land Dwellers that bothered us?_"

"_The device has left. We are keeping watch,_" Grynkar nodded. They were talking about the researchers. Kilnak nodded back and supported Nichole's exhausted form. She wasn't asleep yet, but she was very sluggish.

"I think she needs some sugar," Rick said when he studied her.

"I got just the thing!" Ashley giggled and revealed more honeycomb squares. That perked Nichole right back up. She yawned, stretched and snuggled into her husband after two squares were eaten. At the smirk Tessoo gave, Kilnak looked over at him.

"_Those females have finally landed. They feel awful. I'm happy,_" Tessoo grinned. Kilnak chuckled and the news was quickly shared.

"It would be very interesting if he had telekinetic abilities," Lisa snickered.

"What?" Kilnak asked.

"To move things around with your thoughts alone," Josh explained.

"That would creep me out!" Doug grimaced.

"I don't think that any of us would have that. It would be interesting! But, I doubt it," Kilnak said. "We may have abilities that were dormant until finding all of you, but something like that is highly doubtful. I'll stick to what we have now."

"It would be sort of too much if that was the case," Ashley agreed. "I always say to be grateful for what you already have."

"Point made," Kilnak nodded. "Nikki, I need to swim again. Will you be okay for five minutes? My skin really needs this."

"Go ahead," she smiled. He pressed a kiss to her mouth and several others joined him for a couple refreshing laps around the island. With his skin fully hydrated, he returned to her with a sigh of relief at her touch. "Love Kilnak?"

"Love Nikki. And don't make a question out of that!" he scowled from the tone she used. She laughed softly at him and let him hug her tight. "The day isn't over, you know."

"Oh, I know it," she nodded.

"That's right! You need a birthday cake!" Annie beamed.

"I don't need that extra sugar," she said.

"Maybe you should," Kilnak said seriously. "Besides, I haven't tried cake yet."

"Ice cream, too!" Lisa laughed.

"Pizza!" Doug grinned. Kilnak was now very curious at all of this. Nichole just groaned. Ashley was soon calling her husband.

"Joel, how far are you from the mainland? Oh? We need to hold a party for Nikki. Think you could turn around and do some quick party food shopping? Yes, this is important! Kilnak doesn't know what all we do!" Ashley argued with him. "Well, the ones with you can wait a bit longer. Really, Joel?"

"How far along is he?" Kilnak asked.

"He's almost halfway here," Ashley sighed. "It would be a bummer for him to turn around now."

"True. Well, if we don't have time tonight, maybe we can just have the party tomorrow," Josh said. "People delay events all the time."

"We can do that," Ashley said. Joel was all for it.

"Honey, if we have time, when we send back the others, I'll pick up something. Don't tell Nikki. It's still early enough in the day that we can do something in the evening," Joel chuckled. She agreed to that and disconnected the call. Lisa was drinking some water when she noticed an email on her phone. When she checked it, she swore.

"Lisa?" Lotisoo asked.

"It's Tina. My best friend. She tried to call me and couldn't get through. I changed my number," she sighed. "Let me call her."

"Okay," he nodded. Tessoo thought and started to chuckle.

"_What did you think of?_" Kilnak asked.

"_Her friend should come here,_" Tessoo snickered. Kilnak grinned and Lotisoo glanced at his wife. Lisa was now calmly chatting to her on what happened.

"So, you change your number because Annie's friends are a bunch of snobs? What a bunch of bitches!" Tina said over the phone call.

"I know. Then they hounded after me! So, Dad said I had to get my number changed. Sorry for not letting you know," Lisa sighed.

"So, when are you coming back? We need to hang out again!" her friend said.

"Um…I probably won't ever be back," Lisa sighed. "I got married."

"What?! You vowed that I was to be your maid of honor!" she said with complete hurt.

"I know! It just…kinda happened…" Lisa cringed.

"Annul it and get married again!"

"I can't. It's binding. Tribal rights."

"Wait. You married a native?" Tina asked with pure amusement.

"Yes. A very…um…very rich one. Very handsome, too," Lisa chuckled. "Nikki married into the family first. Then I kinda let myself get pulled in. I get lobster dinner almost every night!"

"Okay, you know that I deserve to meet with your man," she said. "I have to test him."

"That's not a wise idea," Lisa said. "Because I would ignore your remarks. I'm actually in love with him. So, in that sense, your testing is not needed."

"Lisa, let me talk to her," Kilnak said.

"Huh? Are you serious?" Lisa asked.

"Talk to who?" Tina asked.

"Kilnak. Nikki's husband. Ah, here," Lisa chuckled.

"Hi. I'm Kilnak. My family is rich because we find treasure. As in pirate treasure. You want to meet with me and my family? Say the word and I'll book you a ticket to come out. Just do be warned that you may find yourself staying out here, too. My family is very addictive to be around, and you might get married in. I'll hand you back over to Lisa," he chuckled and handed the phone back.

"That's Nikki's husband?! He sounds like…wow!" Tina almost swooned.

"I told you that your voice is perfect," Nichole chuckled.

"All for you. And only yours," he muttered and kissed her. "How did you say I first sounded?"

"A trumpet on helium," she giggled. Now he looked at her like she was crazy.

"She's right," Josh grinned. "All of you sound like you have helium in your throats."

"And how do I respond to this?" Kilnak asked.

"Tell him he sounds like he has a frog in his throat half the time," Nichole smiled.

"I'll remember that," he grinned and kissed her softly.

"Tina, I don't think it would work for you to come out. I live on an actual island. No buildings, houses or shops. Think about it, okay? I have to travel by boat to get back to the mainland. The rest of my family doesn't even know about this. And your family would call you crazy," Lisa said.

"It can't be that bad," Tina scoffed. "Look, I'll take up the offer to come and see you. It's free trip, and I'm not working right now, anyways. I need to get away for a few days. I have a couple guys trying to hound me for dates, so I could use the time away, too."

"They're still after you?" Lisa chuckled.

"Me and my clubbing! Go figure, huh?" Tina sighed. As Lisa continued to talk to her, Lotisoo found his younger brother. He was just of age to find a mate, and the curiosity was there.

"_A female may be for me?_" the young merman asked.

"_It's possible, Sisik. What do you think? You are the next oldest,_" Lotisoo asked.

"_Is there a picture of her?_" he asked. He was training to become a hunter of the pod, so his chest was filling out far more to handle a spear and large prey. Working with Nichole's family was helping with that, too. His strength was actually catching up to Kilnak.

"Nikki, do you have a picture of Lisa's friend?" Kilnak asked.

"I don't think so. Lisa! They want to see a picture of Tina," she said. Lisa looked over and started laughing. Tina was still on the phone with her.

"Wait! I have a better picture of myself to send!" Tina said.

"Don't send us a slut picture, okay?" Lisa said.

"I do not send pics like that!" Tina scowled.

"To me, you do," Lisa jabbed back.

"Okay, okay. It will be decent," she said. Lisa sighed and got the picture. She groaned.

"It's border lined slut!" Lisa growled.

"It's the best one I got!" Tina said. Kilnak gestured for the phone. Lisa sighed and showed off the picture. Tina had black hair, deep green eyes and a figure that could match Lisa. And the image showed her in a G-string bikini. Kilnak was trying not to laugh, since Nichole blocked out all need for other females. Tessoo took a look at the phone and now wondered if Annie could get swimsuit like that. Lotisoo gave an odd look at Lisa, and she shrugged a touch helplessly.

"_How soon can she come here?_" Sisik said when he saw the photo. He was completely smitten with her. "_I'll meet with her._"

"This is Sisik, Lotisoo's younger brother. He's ready for a wife. He'll see Tina," Kilnak grinned.

"How old is he?" Lisa asked.

"Seventeen. If I got my years right," Kilnak said.

"She's a few years older than him. About my age. Hey, Tina, how do you feel about a slightly younger guy? He's almost eighteen, but it doesn't seem to matter with this family," Lisa said.

"Huh? They want to see me?!" she gasped with excitement.

"Yeah. How soon can you leave?" Lisa asked.

"I can leave right now," she said. "I have nothing happening for me at all."

"Think we can book her a flight now?" Lisa asked Kilnak.

"See if Ashley can help," Kilnak nodded. Now with a possible new family member on the way, he thought to himself and looked at Nichole. "I want to know something."

"Hmm?" she asked and let him pull her into the water.

"What music do you like to listen to? You were starting to talk about it before, but then we got side-tracked. I was always wondering about that," he chuckled. At her silent blush, he was now exceptionally curious. "You can tell me."

"You might not like it. It's not really music in a sense. It could have words in it, but it mainly doesn't. So…" she trailed off.

"I want to hear it," he said now. "Please?"

"Okay," she sighed. "I need my phone."

"Go on," he smiled and let her go. She dried herself off and manage to grab her phone. Lisa had finally finished her conversation with Tina and saw what her sister was doing.

"No! Don't play that garbage!" Lisa said.

"Kilnak wants to hear what I listen to," she said.

"Oh, Lisa! Stop it right now!" Ashley finally said. "No one likes what you listen to, either!"

"But…" Lisa grumbled.

"Everyone has different music opinions," Annie smiled and got nuzzled by Tessoo. "I tend to like what Mom likes with classical stuff. Opera and instrumental. I also like a lot of the newer songs, too. How far out is Dad?"

"I think he has another ten minutes," Lisa said.

"Well, I want to hear what Nikki likes first. I brought up the music idea. I go first," Kilnak said.

"Okay," Lisa nodded. Nichole chuckled and started to play her techno electronica music. As he listened to it, he actually found himself liking it.

"I think I like this," Kilnak said.

"Really?" Nichole blinked.

"Yes. Can you play one with words?" he asked.

"Um…I know a lot of Japanese stuff has it. I'll pull one up," she said and managed to bring up something for him. As he listened to it, he glanced at her. "No, I don't understand what's said. It just sounds good to me. Japanese is pretty hard language to learn. It's very complex."

"We should learn," he chuckled.

"You teach me your language, and I'll learn Japanese with you," she said. Now he looked at her like she was joking. Lisa started laughing. Annie found herself giggling. "I'm serious."

"We'll see," Kilnak said and found himself laughing softly. Lisa began to play one of her R&B songs to let him hear a sample of that. Lotisoo was a touch perplexed at it. At the heavy swearing that happened in the song, Kilnak shook his head. "This doesn't work for me."

"It's a love/hate thing with me, too," Lisa said. "I tend to like the beats, but sometimes the song works, too. Granted, you could learn some new swear words…"

"Keep the song playing," Kilnak grinned. Nichole barked out laughter at that. Tessoo looked over in the direction from where the yacht would be appearing. At his glance, they knew it was approaching. "We need to get ready. Nikki, play another song for me."

"Okay," she smiled and managed to bring out her soundtrack.

"Now we have to listen to this?!" Lisa groaned.

"It's her birthday. You have no right to complain," Kilnak warned. At that, Lisa paused at the reasoning. Kina giggled and nuzzled into Josh.

"You like?" she asked.

"Oh. Um, I like more of the hip hop songs of the 80's and 90's. I'll play a few songs for you all later. Doug has the same tastes as me, too," Josh chuckled.

"Eh, I'm more laid back to music. I listen to whatever is on," Doug shrugged. Sitari smiled at him and got squeezed. "What about you, Rick?"

"I like a little Country music every now and then. But, I like the 80's stuff, too," Rick smiled.

"I'll have to hear some of this later on," Kilnak said.

"Do you have a type of music?" Nichole asked him.

"Nope! Never did," Kilnak said. "All of this is new to me. Never needed music. I live in a constantly shifting world. We can't afford to be distracted."

"Very true," Josh nodded at that. When the yacht came into view, Kilnak took his trident up from where he had carefully left it. He decided to fashion a specialized sling for it later. He'll be asking Nichole for ideas when he was able to.

"Why the trident?" Nichole frowned.

"To show I mean business," Kilnak smirked. She laughed a bit and nodded. Then he thought and figured he would ask now. "I think I need to make something to hold it close."

"You could see about a sling for it. Or holster. I'm sure you could make one. We can research," she said. He smiled and pressed a kiss to her mouth. When the kiss deepened, he decided to ignore everyone else around him. After a minute, she whispered, "You should swim…"

"Not leaving you," he mumbled and kissed her again. "Swim with me?"

"Okay," she said and let him pull her fully against him to swim around the island with her. It was a bit slower with her and the trident, but he didn't care. He didn't want to leave her alone. She was able to breathe when he surfaced for air slightly with her. She had learned how to swim with him effectively. When they got back, Josue and Michael had just reached the island with the raft. When he fully surfaced, he cleared his throat to get their attention. The others were there, but they weren't focused on just yet.

"Oh? Oh! Oh…" Josue blinked at what he was seeing. Even Michael was floored.

"Hi. I'm Kilnak. A merman. My family lives here. Josue, thank you for making my trident. I'll ensure you get a lot more treasure trades from me. Just don't say what I look like. All right?" Kilnak said carefully. Then he looked at Michael and said, "And thanks for helping me get the islands and assisting with security. I may have a couple more purchased in the near future."

"You're welcome…" Michael said slowly. They were warned not to call him a fish. At how he expertly held the trident, they were taking that advice seriously.

"As a gesture of good faith, I will give each of you one ring from my treasure horde. _Can we bring up a little of the yellow ore? The ones they can wear on their hands?_" he asked Grynkar.

"_Let me look at what we have,_" he said and swam off. A small collection of rings and bracelets were brought up, and the rings were selected. They were still learning on what jewelry was what.

"Here. For each of you," Kilnak said and handed them a couple of basic gold rings with ruby settings. Michael was shocked. Josue was already planning to keep their secret. "Did you have any pearls that you wanted us to look at, Josue?"

"Yes! That I did," Josue nodded.

"I have them," Joel said and brought out the case. Kep was the one that went over each pearl carefully to inspect them.

"These are fake," Kep said and put three pearls aside.

"What?!" Josue gaped and now moved to examine the pearls. "How?"

"They do not taste right. They have no taste. A real pearl has a distinct taste to me. Those hold no taste. They are not made right, too. They should feel rough against your teeth. They do not," Kep said. "So, those are fake."

"I'll report these to my supplier," Josue said. "The others are fine?"

"Yes. They are good," Kep nodded. Then he looked at a rather large, bluish-white pearl and picked it up. "I like this one!"

"Buy it, Joel," Kilnak smiled.

"It's purchased," Joel nodded.

"For helping me find three fakes, he can simply keep that one. Me getting my money back on fake items will cover the cost of the pearl. We're even," Josue chuckled.

"Good deal!" Kilnak nodded in agreement. Then he looked over at Michael. "I see you lack the other that was with you before?"

"Oh! Yeah, he got let go. He said bad things to other women at my job," Michael said and cleared his throat. "And I'm sorry he said such things to your wife."

"Your apology is accepted," Kilnak nodded. "If he tries to come out here without consent, he will be killed. That's his warning if you see him and if he asks about us. Anyways, I wanted to go over security measures for the islands I currently own through Joel and Nichole."

"Of course," Michael said and was gestured to sit down on the sand to make it easier for Kilnak to talk to him at length. He was completely floored at the intelligence he was shown on what needed to be done. He actually felt like he was talking to another person. Aside from the slight dunking Kilnak did now and then to help his skin, there was no other real difference. "I think I know a few people that can help us get this started."

"I also don't want any random combinations saved," Kilnak said. "I don't want the making company to feel that they can pull old combinations and have them work. Yes, I've been talking a lot with Nikki and her family on what others can try to do. So, no saved files. All random combinations each time. I would have the combinations change after three wrong consecutive tries."

"That can work," Michael said. Kilnak turned when Nichole moved to press into his back.

"Nikki? Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I just want to be close to you," she smiled. He chuckled and kissed her softly before regarding Michael again. Then he looked over at Josue and Joel when the tiaras were brought out.

"One moment," Kilnak said and gestured for the tiaras.

"This one's fake," Josue said and handed it over first.

"That's amazing!" Annie gasped.

"We'll get one made for you," Kilnak chuckled and took up the real one to place on Nichole's head. "And that stays on you."

"Oh, come on!" she scowled.

"Nope! Birthday gift!" Kilnak grinned at her. She sighed and found herself getting kissed. "It really does suit you. Keep it on you. For me?"

"Fine. For you," she smiled and nuzzled him. Michael was simply amazed at the affection and bonding that they had. Kep studied him and mused to himself. There were no other females in the pod that were old enough, though. That didn't stop him from trying to ask, though.

"So, how old are you?" Kep asked.

"Me? Um, I'm in my late forties," Michael said.

"You have a wife?" Kep asked with a small smile.

"_Elder, we have no other females,_" Grynkar said.

"_I am aware. I am only asking,_" Kep chuckled.

"I was married for a while. It didn't work," Michael admitted. "I have a son, but he lives with his mother. I'm still on excellent terms with her, though. She only wanted to be with someone that wasn't all about work. She was the one that told me her decision. There isn't much to say after that."

"Hmm. You want wife?" Kep asked.

"Well…" Michael found himself at a loss for words.

"Kep, stop it," Joel smirked. "He's doing fine."

"I know," Kep chuckled at him. "But, we have no other females here. I was only asking."

"_Why do you ask him?_" Kilnak asked.

"_Because he gives me a good feeling,_" Kep said. "_But, this is fine._"

"I don't think this island can take any more people living on it," Nichole said. Liksee slapped her hand in the pool she resting in with Kessin to show he was waking up. Joel was right over at her side with Lotisoo appearing to help.

"Lotisoo, remove his bandages and check the wound. Let's see how much it's healing," Joel said. Lotisoo nodded and expertly removed the seaweed wrapping. The skin was starting to grow back naturally. Even the muscle was slowly rebuilding. Rick was now looking over everything with his surgical mind studying everything.

"It looks pretty good! I'd say just normal seaweed wrapping," Rick said. "Antibiotics only when needed at this point."

"Good call," Joel nodded. Kessin was a bit surprised at the other human, but Lotisoo told him that Rick was another healer. Kessin could only nod and let Lotisoo work on his tail. It was definitely better for him that another merman was working with him. Food was given over with bottled water. Liksee now softly told him of the other merman that got to them too late. Kessin cringed and hugged her.

"_I am glad I was not that bad,_" Kessin sighed.

"_Me, too,_" she nodded. They nuzzled each other and he showed signs of wanting to swim a little.

"He wants to swim," Kilnak said. "Would it be safe?"

"Keep an eye on him. If he shows any distress, bring him back. Just around the island?" Joel asked. At Kessin's nod after the translation, Joel gave the okay to try. When they reached the edge of island's new main entrance, Kessin was surprised. His pod had found him.

"_Kessin! You live?!_" his matriarch said and embraced him.

"_Yes. This is the pod with the Land Dwellers. They healed me. I'm still healing. A flesh eater attacked me, and two of their Fin Folk brought me here. I even found my mate, Liksee, in their pod. I am going to stay with them,_" Kessin smiled and introduced her. His sire showed instant approval of her, and his two sisters clamored over her happily.

"Kessin's family is here. They are very happy to see him," Kilnak smiled.

"Good! I'm glad they are here to see him," Nichole smiled back. "Is Bobby still on the yacht?"

"Good question," he muttered. "Joel! Is Bobby still on Nikki's boat?"

"Yes. He had to talk to a few of his bosses about that other mess that got cleaned up," Joel said.

"Good to know," Kilnak said. He looked over at one of Kessin's sisters swimming up to them.

"_Thank you for helping him. We were all very worried when he had to leave us. We saw you before at the last gathering. But…thank you,_" she said softly. She was very slender and quite pretty to the Merfolk race. Kilnak would have been quite taken with her, but she would have also seemed wrong to him, too. He was happy that he found his true mate when he did.

"_You are welcome. Sernis was supposed to have called for you, but he did not. So, I sent the call. He is disgraceful! I am very glad that Kessin is able to see you again,_" Kilnak said.

"_Sernis…I am surprised that he found a mate,_" she admitted. "_He always gives off a mean feel to me. I just don't like him._"

"_He always cornered me. Then he challenged Nikki. She made him leave,_" Kilnak grinned. That got the mermaid laughing softly. Kep was monitoring everything silently, but he did notice how Michael's eyes kept getting drawn to the mermaid. Now he mused to himself and moved to talk to Kessin's pod. He lightly explained what was going on, and Kessin's sire was a touch perplexed at this. At the sight of the elderly dolphin swimming over, he gave instant respect.

"_All come here. Welcome. Help bridge gap. Much needed,_" she clicked. "_All needed. But only here. Too dangerous elsewhere. You help?_"

"_For my offspring to merge with them? Well…_" he seemed to grimace.

"_Their pod healed Kessin! They would protect our offspring, too. And us!_" his mate said. "_There is not much of our pod left, anyways. We should join them._"

"_Must we?_" he sighed.

"_We lost three pod mates before Kessin left. There is only five of us now. Just us. I say we join them. They seem to have plenty of food here,_" she said.

"_We also plan to raise our own food in time. All of your help would be needed,_" Kep said. At this, they were surprised. "_It is possible with Nikki's pod. We are all working together to do this. And I noticed that one of your offspring is being studied silently. A Land Dweller has been helping us make safe places to stay. But, I am not sure if he would work with what he does to help us._"

"_Need healer!_" a dolphin squealed in the distance. Kep now turned with shock at a merman being pulled to them. "_Bad hurt!_"

"_Go to the surface! Quick!_" Kep said at the trail of blood that followed the wounded merman. At the rapid squeals the dolphin gave out, Joel looked over with Rick. They took one look at each other and went into doctor mode.

"Ashley…" Joel said.

"I'm on it!" she said and put her book down. Josue and Michael now stood aside and gaped with shock at the merman that was carefully pulled onto the beach. A large chunk of his tail was bitten, but it was still attached. The flesh could be carefully stitched back on.

"You know what to do?" Joel asked his friend.

"What kind of question is that?!" Rick snorted and rinsed his hands in iodine. Kilnak now moved to quickly survey the damage.

"Another shark?" he asked.

"Yeah. It doesn't seem to be as bad as Kessin's, but it's still a nice chunk. It's still attached, too, so we might be able to save it. It looks fresh," Joel said. "He's out from shock. We'll work quickly."

"He will be okay," Tessoo said from what he sensed. "Ah. Um…stomach. Check there."

"We can do that," Joel nodded and had Rick carefully flip the merman over after the bite in his tail was stitched back in place. At the sight of the gash there, he grimaced. "Looks like something sliced him up here. Pretty clean."

"Here," Rick said and handed over a threaded needle. "I think I see why you can't go back."

"Yep," Joel nodded and they both worked methodically to patch him up. When the merman groaned, Kep made sure he was the first one seen to carefully explain where he was. His kin was in shock, but he was also grateful.

"_You will rest here for a few days. You should be okay to go by then. The Fin Folk brought you just as you were attacked, so we were quick to help you,_" Kep said. The merman only sighed with a nod and closed his eyes to rest. He was moved to a vacant pool, and Lotisoo would be monitoring him with Lisa to check on his healing.

"At least it was nothing like that last one," Rick muttered.

"Ditto," Joel agreed. Ashley just sighed and picked up her book to read again. Sitari and Doug were concerned, but they knew that he would be fine. Josh and Kina would be quick to help ensure food was ready when it was needed. When he glanced over at Michael, he saw how the man's eyes kept getting drawn over to the mermaid in the water. "And what's up with you?"

"I honestly don't know. I think I need to get back. I have new plans of security that I need to push through the system in a discreet way. I have a lot of work to do now," Michael said. But his eyes never left the mermaid. When she looked over at him, it was with a bit of surprise. She actually seemed to be blushing. He tore his eyes away from her and refocused on trying to get back to the yacht.

"I'll have another fake tiara made. It's already in the works. I'll leave the true one here with you," Josue nodded. "When that other is made, it shall be brought here. This one has a couple flaws now from being stolen, but you cannot really see them."

"What flaws?" Kilnak asked.

"Just a few parts of the design that need to be fixed. I can handle that. I would much rather have a fresh one made to be sent than one that was mishandled," Josue said.

"I can understand that," Kilnak nodded. "You have my thanks again."

"And I thank you for your business!" Josue chuckled. "Oh, may I see the jewelry that she is wearing? I just want to make sure it is good."

"Okay," Kilnak said and had Nichole show off the jewelry she wore. He checked on where the pearls were sealed in and ensured that each gem and pearl was still in place. Nodding at this, he made his way back to the raft to get taken to the yacht. When Michael was about to leave, he found himself stopped by Kep. The mermaid was with him, and she had a curious look on her face.

"Do you like her?" Kep asked him.

"Oh! Um…" Michael seemed to be sweating with embarrassment.

"You swim?" he asked. Joel found himself rubbing a hand over his face. Rick pursed his lips together and found himself going back over to Sarissa's side where she waited for him.

"Ah, well, I know how to swim," Michael started.

"You can cook?" Kep asked.

"I'm a horrible chef," Michael admitted. "But, I'm good at making premade stuff."

"Microwave meals?" Lisa grinned. At his nod, she laughed.

"Can you hunt?" Kep chuckled.

"Hunt?" Michael asked.

"Do you know how to fish," Joel said.

"Oh! Um…no. I don't," he said.

"Shouldn't matter if you can provide for us by other means," Kilnak muttered. "And these questions are asked because she likes you, too. So, we are asking if you would be willing to adapt to live with us. Yes, I know you have a job. But, if you live with us, you may have to give it up. You'll be wanting to live out here. I'm not sure if relocation is an option for you."

"It really isn't. I've only been at my job for about five years," Michael said. "But…she likes me? Um…what is her name?"

"_Can you tell us your name?_" Kep asked her.

"_Missa,_" she said softly. After a bit of age calculation, it was found out that she was nineteen years old. Michael honestly didn't know how to approach it.

"When do you have to go back?" Joel asked.

"I was given clearance for about three days," he said.

"What do you think?" Joel asked Kilnak.

"Hmm. If she wants him to stay, then he can have temporary quarters with us. We do have enough tarp around to set up small walls for privacy. It'll be rough," Kilnak thought aloud. "But it also depends on him. Michael, what do you want to do?"

"I think I need to stay and think things over. My luggage is on the boat," he said.

"Welcome to the club! We might have a birthday party for Nichole, too! Today's her birthday," Lisa grinned. At the middle finger she got from her sister, Kilnak started laughing.

"Right. Well, I need to get Josue back," Joel said.

"I just got a text from Tina. She's getting on an airplane right now. Mom was able to book her a flight rather quickly," Lisa said. "She's got four hours until she gets here."

"Okay. I'll keep my phone on me for when you text me that she's arrived," Joel nodded.

"Good," Kilnak said. Missa was already talking to her pod about what was going to happen with her. As disgruntled as her sire was, he saw how fast the wounded merman was taken care of. That had changed much of his thoughts around.

"_Very well. We will stay for a while and see what happens. Kessin, you need to rest more. Go and rest,_" his sire said in an ordering way. His son only nodded and let Liksee help him back. He was surprised at how a simple short swim drained him so much. He was going to have to regain his swimming strength again. His sire looked over to watch his daughter slowly getting to know Michael with a small swimming session in the safety of the island lagoon. As much as he should be appalled at it, he felt a sense of calm. The dolphin pod was already starting to play and patrol the island. He now realized exactly how safe his pod was by merging with this one.

"_Do we stay?_" his mate asked.

"_Yes. We will stay,_" he said. They hugged each other lightly and moved to join the rest. Joel was already back on the yacht with Josue. Bobby was given the okay to start heading back. Even as he was filled in, he was laughing at Michael's new predicament.

"Don't worry. Mitchell won't get in on this," Bobby said.

"He won't be able to set foot on the island, much less the boat," Joel muttered and opened a beer. With new plans set in motion, and new birthday supplies being texted to him by Ashley, he could only muse at how the rest of the day was going to pan out.


	20. Chapter 20

Sure enough, as all of that was happening, Annie's old comrades were getting settled in the same luxury hotel that Nichole had started in before. The room they were given was a double bed suite. They were used to sharing rooms up until the main event. On the eve of the pageant, they would meet up with their mothers to get pampered up and prepped for the show. As for now, that was the last thing they really wanted to do.

When they walked into the spacious room of luxury, they moved around the room silently. Usually they would be upbeat, chatty and excited. Two of the girls collapsed on one of the dual beds and fell into a dead sleep. Another ended up lying back on the couch. The other three were mildly going over text messages and trying to chat each other up to boost morals.

_:Oh, good! You all made it! Of course, I'm still here, too. You all would miss me!:_ Tessoo's cold chuckle crept through their minds. One of the girls groaned with agony. Anna-Marie simply sniffed her displeasure, but she knew she had at least an hour to kill before anything happened. She decided to shower. The other girls didn't seem to care.

"I'm taking a shower!" she said with an air of confidence.

"That's fine. We'll shower after you," Bethany said.

"If there's any hot water left," Sarah said with a slight smirk. The other three were too exhausted to say anything. They simply didn't care.

_:Yes, please. Take a shower. I can't stand the smell of uppity bitch anymore!:_ Tessoo seemed to cackle. Anna-Marie only took in a deep breath at this and moved into the bathroom. When she began to undress, he barked out with glee. _:Can you wear a blindfold so I can't see any ugly blemishes? Wait. You're one giant blemish, aren't you?:_

"I don't care about what you think!" she snapped. When she began to undress hastily, a harsh groan of disgust was mentally shoved through her mind. She cringed.

_:You are definitely NOT perfect!:_ he scowled at her.

"Yes, I am!" she growled.

_:Okay. Do you want a critical viewpoint on this? Or do you want to take my word for it?:_ he snided at her. Only Annie's body was perfect to him. All others were completely flawed. Anna-Marie now turned and faced a full-length mirror to expose her perfect figure to him. _:Ah, let me guess. Liposuction? Or starvation?:_

"Neither!" she said proudly.

_:Oh! Purging. Got it. A form of starvation to me. You do know that you're killing your body doing that, right? When you get older, you'll need help moving around. Your limbs will fall apart from lack of nourishment, and you'll be wetting yourself constantly and need diapers.:_

"That's not true!"

_:Look it up. It's out there. Scientific facts and all. Don't say I didn't tell you. Hmm. Oh! A wrinkle is forming along your left eye. Crow's feet!:_ he chuckled. That had her gape with complete horror, and she tore her eyes away from the mirror. _:Let's face it. You aren't getting any younger. You may as well settle with whatever your dirty harpy claws can catch and pop out a few kids to make your parents happy. Maybe one of them will look and act just like you! Maybe even put you through the same hell you put your parents through, too.:_

"Stop it!" she finally begged.

_:Just admit that you're not perfect. That's all you have to do. If you don't, then I'm still here! Now, that's interesting. You weren't such a perfect little girl after all, were you? Was it really you that set fire to your mother's wedding dress and blamed another kid?! Wow. When you got away with it, you felt that you had the ability to do this to others. Do yourself a favor. Take your shower. Scrub yourself clean with whatever false sense of pride you have. And, when you're done, be ready to enjoy a day of complete hopelessness and intense bashing. Because that's what you deserve.:_

"I'm perfect! I have no faults!" she said in a trembling voice.

_:Just keep telling yourself that. Not even you can believe your own lies.:_ Tessoo smirked at her. Leaving her to wallow in her new sense of self-pity, he checked on Bethany. _:Are you finally going to see about wearing that dress? Or are you afraid that it still won't look good on you?:_

"Stop it," Bethany grumbled.

_:No. Admit it to yourself. You're not perfect. None of you are. I am going to make sure that you all know this and admit it. If you can admit it, then I'll go away. My work will be done.:_

"There is no way that I'm not perfect!" she scowled softly.

_:Get over yourself. In fact, I dare you. Go to your mother and try on that dress that you never put on. See how well it works. Because if it looks like shit on you, your mom will scramble to find something else and scold you for not trying it on when you had the time.:_ Tessoo gave a mental grin. Bethany gave a small cringe at this, but she found herself standing up to leave, anyways. She was used to doing what she was told in matters of pageantry. This was complete proof.

"Where are you going?" Sarah asked.

"I need to ask my Mom something. I'll be back," she said and walked out of the room. She winced at the cold, mental chuckle given to her. It would later be proven that Tessoo was correct. The dress wouldn't fit right, and her mother would now be scrambling about to get another dress.

"Good thing I'm free and clear," Sarah chuckled.

_:Sure. Until everyone realizes that you're nothing special and they look at the others instead.:_ Tessoo snickered at her. When she threatened to cry, he scoffed her. _:Oh, come on! Think about it! It's your attitude that makes people not like you! If you want a bit of advice, here it is. You're not perfect. No one is. Anna-Marie isn't perfect. Bethany isn't perfect. Ellenore, Carol and Maria are definitely not perfect! Don't flatter yourself. Accept your faults and know that those faults make you who you are. The sooner you admit that you're not perfect and are like everyone else, the sooner you won't hear from me.:_

"You mean…" she frowned. "But…Anna-Marie said…"

_:Anna-Marie is a stuck up snob. You're better than that.:_ he pointed out. Now she paused. _:Just think about everything she had you do for her in the past few days. This is what Annie found out.:_

"I…" she paused. Now she saw what was really happening. She finally realized what was going on. "Is this why you were…"

_:And now that you see the truth, I won't bother you anymore. But, if you revert, I will pick up right where we left off. You now know that you're not perfect. Yes, you're pretty. Yes, you win contests. But remember that there are others out there that are not as fortunate as you.:_ he said calmly. _:You can't help everyone, but you can help yourself by knowing what is going on around you.:_

"Anna-Marie had me…so blinded…" she whispered.

_:It's what she enjoys doing. Did you know that she called you a part of her 'flock of sheep'?:_

"What?!"

_:It's true. I've been slowly chipping away at her hard shell. Coconuts are easier to crack!:_

"She called me an animal?!" she fumed. Now Ellenore woke up with a grumble to glare at her. "Ellenore! Anna-Marie calls us her sheep!"

"What?" she blinked at this. Now Sarah woke up the others to tell them what was revealed to her. Tessoo was laughing in the background the whole time. Why didn't he think of just telling them all of what Anna-Marie wanted? Then again, he wanted all of this to sink in. It wouldn't have worked so well if it was given over all at once.

"Someone should tell Bethany," Carol said.

"I'll go. I think Anna-Marie is still showering. Should we say anything?" Sarah asked.

"I'm not sure," Maria admitted.

_:I wouldn't.:_ Tessoo advised to them all. _:Take today to study up on what she does. I'll still be mean to you all if you start to slip, but also to save face. I am your conscience, after all. Just remember this. None of you are perfect. Accept yourselves as you are. I'm sure you all know that it's what Annie did. She now has a very protective husband and family. She no longer cared about her looks. She gave up the high-life. She figured out Anna-Marie. You call can do this, too.:_

"You know too much about Annie," Carol said.

_:Okay. You got me there. I'll let you in on a secret. However, if ANY of you spill this secret, I will make sure that none of you sleep for two nights. I can do this. Do we have a deal? Also, Anna-Marie and Bethany are not to know.:_ Tessoo warned.

"Deal," Sarah said without a second thought.

"Okay," Ellenore nodded.

"I'm in, too," Carol said.

"I'll keep your secret. I need sleep!" Maria frowned.

_:I am Annie's husband.:_ he said calmly. Now the four girls were in complete shock. _:I am a powerful psychic. This is proof. I am also VERY rich. I know how to make you all simply disappear. But, this is a lot more fun! Also humbling to the lot of you. Bethany made threats to Annie and her family. So, she's not off my radar. And Anna-Marie is two-timing bitch. I won't relent on her until she breaks or has something else happen to her that's justified. Since you four now understand what is going on, I will let up on you all. Get some rest. If you all feel me in your minds, then give a usual reaction to play act. Understood? And, if you all don't respond properly, I'll force out a proper reaction. Agreed?:_

"Yes!" they all said eagerly. They were going to get to sleep! He made good on his word and let them finally get some much needed rest. He could even wake them up when they were needed. He nudged over to Bethany's mind and snickered darkly.

_:Told you so.:_ he smirked at her. Bethany could only give a shameful look to her mother from the earful she was getting about being so stubborn to try on a dress. Now that Bethany was getting a form of just punishment, he checked in on Anna-Marie. At how she was looking at her wrist with a razor blade, he quickly cut into her mind. _:That's not how you do it. It's called you grow up. Cutting your wrists is the easy way out. You'll also be marking up your 'perfect skin'. Then again, I won't have to worry about you doing anything stupid if you do kill yourself.:_

"Why are you doing this to me?!" she whimpered and dropped the razor.

_:Because if I don't, then no one else will.:_ he said in a rather stern way. She shivered at this. _:Someone has to be 'the bad guy'. You heard what your parents said. This is, officially, your last pageant. Don't go out as a coward. Yeah, I'm mean to you. I'm teaching you about reality. One of these days, those little sheep out there are going to figure you out. Then what will you do? You'll be all alone. Want a bit more advice? Look your best. There may be someone in the audience of the pageant that would want to be with you and put you on a pedestal. You may not have to do a single thing when it comes to work. You may as well go out in style.:_

"You honestly think…that someone would…" she frowned.

_:You won't know until you try, right?:_ he nudged through with a mental shrug. She sighed and seemed to nod. She was finally breaking, but even she admitted that if she had the chance to try and snag someone rich then she should try. With new plans set, he decided to take another chance. He went and searched for Mitchell.

The young man was grumbling over finances for his father's boating business. Quite a bit was hidden from him, since Bobby kept his other business away from his kids, but Tessoo didn't like how he still thought about Annie. So, he nudged a nice little thought of Annie backhanding him hard in his mind.

"Um…" Mitchell blinked at that. He seemed to shake his head of the thought.

_:She's married. Find another.:_ Tessoo growled in his mind. Now Mitchell's eyes popped wide open and he glared around the room. _:I'm not real. I'm your conscience. I'm telling you to back off of her. It's for your own good. You know of the pageant that will be happening soon. You might find another girl there if you look hard enough.:_

"I don't believe you!" he muttered out. "Show yourself!"

_:Fat chance, asshole!:_ Tessoo growled and sent a mental punch his way. That shook up Mitchell completely from the headache he just got. _:This is your only warning. Annie is gone. Be at the pageant contest tomorrow to pick a new trophy wife. You may even see some of the contestants around the island later today. If you try to find Annie, you will die.:_

Mitchell was fully shaken now. Something he couldn't fight back had attacked him. Tessoo knew exactly how dangerous he was. This was clear proof. When Mitchell was still having doubts, the merman smirked and sent a couple mental images of the pageant girls into his head. Now Mitchell found himself in complete disbelief. He actually found himself musing over Anna-Marie. Tessoo was cackling in the background. The two clearly deserved each other if they did become a match.

Tessoo came back around from where he was on the temporary island. He was hugging Annie tightly to him in a solid act of claim. He was quite pleased with himself. He had her antagonists forming doubts in their own circle. Their ring leader was being neatly put in place. The one that threatened Ashley was getting a just punishment by her mother. And the one that wanted to be with her now knew that something dangerous was watching him and ready to hurt him. And Tessoo knew that he'd have no problems killing him off if he had to. He didn't have to be in front of the human to do it, either. That's something he knew all too well after the mental damage he was able to do.

He was deadlier than Kilnak this way, but he respected his brother. Nichole had his complete respect, too, for helping introduce Annie into his life, despite how it came about. He was ensuring that no more harm came to Annie or her family. He mentally vowed to protect his pod with his newly awakened abilities. He was proving that vow every single day.

"Tessoo?" Annie asked softly when she looked at him.

"Those girls mad," he grinned. "They know of Anna."

"Oh? They know what she did to them?" she grinned softly.

"Yes. I tell. Not all. And, um, saw other. The man. He no find you. I warn," he nodded.

"Good," she said. She knew who he was talking about. They kissed deeply, and closed her eyes in complete comfort. She was safe and protected. At the sound of his musical purring, she drifted back off into a very light sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

Joel had managed to get Josue back to the island, but now he had a three hour wait for Tina to come in. Instead of idling about the mainland, though, he felt the need to simply wait on the yacht. It was easy to watch a couple short videos on his phone. He liked the downtime. At a text from Ashley asking about Nichole's birthday supplies, he grimaced. He forgot about that!

"Yes, yes, honey. I'm doing that now," he sighed. He still had a couple hours to kill, so it wasn't that much of a rush. Calling for a cab, he began to wonder if it would be easier to just get a car. If he was going to be living out here, he may have to invest in a vehicle. It was either that or get his car towed out by boat. He found it harder and harder to believe that he'd be keeping the house in Maryland. The only way that it would work was if he converted his house to have an indoor pool that attached to the ocean, but he was a bit far inland. It was very unlikely that it would be feasible to do.

Sighing hard, he came back to the present when he was in front of a bakery. Walking inside, he waved at an attendant. "Can I help you, Sir?"

"Yes. I need a birthday cake," Joel smiled.

"Very good!" the youth said behind the counter.

"Something basic right now, but can feed a lot. I was thinking of a sheet cake."

"What flavor?"

"Do you have dual? Like, oh, chocolate and vanilla?"

"We do! Half or full?"

"Full, please," Joel nodded. "And decorate it with 'Happy Birthday, Nichole'."

"I can do that," the attendant chuckled.

"I also need a tub of ice cream. Maybe a Neapolitan."

"There are some tubs in the freezer behind you, but I'm not sure if we have any in stock."

"Okay. I'll make a decision," Joel nodded. He picked out a tub of mint chocolate chip and another of strawberry. He really wanted to keep it somewhat basic. After the purchases were made, he had another cab take him back to the yacht to stow it. The cab driver was kind enough to wait patiently with the extra tip. "Thanks for waiting. Ah, I need a good pizza parlor next."

"I would suggest you call ahead. It will take us time to get there, and it will be ready when we do get there," the cab driver suggested. Joel could only nod at that reasoning. The number was given over, and the pizza was ordered. Sure enough, when they arrived, the pizza was ready. When Joel got back, he surprised the driver with a small pizza pie of his own. "Oh!"

"Just a small thanks in appreciation," Joel chuckled. At this, the driver gave over his card.

"If you need me to take you anywhere, call me. I'll do what I can to help," the driver said with a large smile. Joel nodded and took the card easily. "Where to next?"

"Actually, I need to hit the airport to pick up someone. Then it's back to the yacht."

"Allow me," the driver said. When they got to the airport, Tina was just heading out of the main lobby. She was followed by several of the locals. Joel was not happy at the white, two-piece outfit she wore. The mid-drift easily exposed her tanned belly and barely covered over her chest. Even the shorts she wore looked a touch too tight. And way too short. The stiletto heels made him cringe a bit, too. He saw her like another daughter. Lisa and Tina were high school friends. Her long hair was loose and neatly covered over her shoulders as she only regarded the following men lightly. If she had any cleavage showing, he doubted he would be seeing her at all. She would have likely been diverted away.

"Oh, you boys are funny!" she laughed and shook her head. "I'm waiting for my ride."

"We can take you where you want to go," one of the men chuckled.

"She's with me," Joel said in a rather dark way when he approached. At the vibe he gave off, it was a completely protective and fatherly vibe. The men around her seemed to stiffen with alarm.

"Joel! So good to see you," she beamed and made her way over.

"Likewise," he nodded and gave her a hug and kiss to her cheek. "The flight was good?"

"Hey! She was with us!" the man growled with his friends. When she referred to him by name, they thought he was a lover of some kind. They were about to be sorely mistaken.

"And now she's with me. I am taking her from here," Joel said calmly.

"What? You can't share her?" a man smirked.

"First of all, I see her like my daughter. You're a fucking pervert. Get a fucking life and beat it," Joel growled. The youths simply laughed him off.

"Just tell us where you're taking her. We can meet up," one of them grinned.

"I'm warning you. Don't fuck with me. I'll call Bobby if you do," Joel said with a small glare.

"Dude…" one of the men paled. He recognized that name all too well.

"Who?" the first man asked.

"We'll go," another said.

"No! We can't just let her walk away!" the first man said. At the small whisper given, the first man's jaw dropped as his face went completely white. At this, Joel simply nodded to them that the understanding was given. What was even better was the sight of one of Bobby's personal henchmen mildly glancing over. The man was playing security for now, and he recognized Joel. When Joel nodded back to him discreetly, the man gave a wink. He saw the whole thing. The small group of men quickly dispersed, but they would likely be rounded up and questioned later behind closed doors.

"Bobby?" Tina frowned.

"A rather powerful figurehead here. I'm friends with him," Joel smiled and led her away. "Lisa's waiting to see you. I have a cab waiting for us. And you're not touching the pizza in it."

"Oh, come on! I'm starving!" she said as they walked away. "They only gave me peanuts."

"I got something for you," Joel chuckled and gave her a six inch tuna sub when they settled in. "Thanks for waiting for us."

"Of course! You need to get to the port?" the driver asked as the cab started up.

"Yep! Oh, Tina, you brought a swimsuit, right?" Joel asked.

"Of course, I did!" she said between bites. She really was hungry.

"Good. And I detest what you're wearing."

"What? It's my traveling outfit!"

"Those men were ready to steal you away."

"Oh, come on…"

"No. If I didn't show up when I did, you would have been in some serious trouble."

"Please…"

"Don't you 'please' me!" Joel snorted. "If I was your father, I'd have you grounded, and over half of your clothes would be given to good will!"

"But…"

"No! You are not allowed to argue. And don't roll your eyes at me, either," he warned when she was about to. "You know how I am."

"Yes, I know," she seemed to mope.

"And you knew what I would say."

"Yes…"

"And you also know what Lisa is going to say. I don't care about how old you are. When you are in my presence, you know how I'm going to treat you."

"I know," she said and chuckled with a small shrug. She balled up the wrapper, and Joel put it in the small trash bin in the cab. "So, where is Lisa?"

"You'll find out soon," Joel nodded. "It's Nikki's birthday, so I had to get a few things for her."

"Oh! I should get her a gift!" Tina blinked.

"No need. Her husband spoils her enough," Joel chuckled.

"So, Annie's friends really treated her like shit?"

"You could say that. Not anymore when her number got changed. A pageant is being done for them out here. They were hoping she'd become a part of it as a way to lure her out for more intimidation. Her husband isn't letting her show up. They can win it however they like."

"So…they arranged for a pageant to draw her out? What cheap whores!"

"I know," Joel muttered. "But, it's being taken care of."

"Good!" she nodded. Tina may not have gotten along with Annie very well, but she did see her like a little sister at times.

"And you might want to change into your swimsuit when we get to the yacht."

"I'm wearing it!" she beamed.

"Now I'm disturbed to a whole new level," Joel winced. At the pout she gave him, he grinned at her and poked her in the side to make her jump. After another five minutes, they got to the yacht. The pizza was secured, and he pulled out a mackerel from the main cooler. "Can you feed the dolphin in the water, please? I'm sure she's hungry."

"I get to feed a dolphin?!" she gasped. He nodded and let her take the fish to do just that. At the grateful display of leaps and clicks, she was giggling with pure delight. When more dolphins appeared as the yacht moved, she was in complete awe. She ran down to where Joel was driving the yacht. "Do you see them?! I mean…wow!"

"Yep! They work with Lisa's new family. They like to swim with the yacht," Joel chuckled. "We have an hour to sail, so get comfy. Take a nap. Or, better yet, change out of that disgusting outfit."

"What?! It's not disgusting!"

"You're right. It's distasteful," Joel nodded. She was starting to fume, but he gave her a mild glare. Sighing, she simply decided to recline on one of the chairs in the main area. There was simply no winning with him, and she knew it!

With him on the way back to the island, Michael was learning of the new family business that was going to go into motion. He was all for helping out with security and defenses. As he reclined mildly on the beach with a healthy dose of sunblock on his skin, Missa was contentedly pressed into him. He was able to claim a tunnel, too. They had only one left available, and that one was to be reserved for Tina. They were worried about any wounded that came to them, but they knew how to tend wounded.

"We don't have any more room for other humans," Kilnak said. "If we try to make another hole, the island may collapse. We're at our limit now. We know how to work with the ocean if other wounded pod members appear, but we can't sustain another after Tina."

"I know it," Josh sighed. "Kina told me there's hardly any sand between some of the rock tunneling now. Did you guys have to reinforce anything?"

"Kessin's tunnel almost collapsed. We saved it just in time," Kilnak said with a sigh. "I'm glad there's a lot of rocks around here! Lotisoo has been trying to do some underwater welding to hold up some of the weaker structures. It works, but it's not as good as we thought it would be."

"I know Doug's been trying to work on what he can above water, too," Lisa frowned.

"That does help," Kilnak agreed. "Are the builders back at the main island?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded. "They've been trying to work faster, but they can only do so much here. From what I understand, they are trying another approach. Right, Doug?"

"Huh?" his brother asked.

"What the builders want to do? A different way?" Josh asked.

"Ah, yeah! They want to build certain structures above ground first. Then transport them here and carefully lower them into the water. Air tight and all. Then when the pieces are fitted up, they remove the parts that make them air tight. You get what I mean?" Doug asked.

"Sort of," Kilnak frowned.

"Take this container," Nichole said as she held up an opened bucket. "What they want to do, from what I'm getting, is they make the rooms like a bunch of containers with lids. They'll lower the containers into the water after they're built. Then they piece them together. After that, they cut away various internal parts of the lids to make connecting rooms."

"Oh! I get it now," Kilnak nodded. "They pre-make the rooms in an area they can work with before sinking them?"

"Yep!" Josh grinned. "I'm sure they test each room in a specialized pool area, too."

"Well, for the money I'm dropping on this whole thing, they better know what they're doing," Kilnak muttered. Michael was mildly listening in and had an idea.

"Kilnak, I was just thinking," Michael said. "You should have an outer security area and an internal one. The outer one could work with vocal imprint. The inner one would be the tech code you wanted. I'm only saying this from an electrical standpoint. Sea water can corrode. You don't want that much electricity to be present. So, if you use sound as a way to get in first, then have a key code that's away from the water just outside your pool area above the water…"

"I get it!" Kilnak grinned.

"It would be safer that way, too. You can talk into an underwater microphone first," Nichole said. At Michael's nod, Kilnak was all for it. Michael was able to grab his suitcase without disturbing Missa, and he took out his laptop to make some digital notes. He emailed them to himself and set the laptop aside. Then he noticed a new email that just came up from one of his bosses.

"What's up?" Kilnak asked when he noticed a change on Michael's face.

"I got an email from a boss. Hold on," he sighed and began to read it. "Interesting. I'm being told to come back tomorrow or I'm fired."

"Let him fire you," Kilnak shrugged.

"If I get fired, then I can't work on your defenses," he grimaced.

"Is there a phone number?" Kilnak asked.

"Ah…yeah…" Michael said uneasily.

"Call him up and let me talk to him," he said.

"Why?" Nichole asked. Michael was very skeptical on this.

"Because I want to tell his boss exactly how much money I'm dropping into his company. And I may be purchasing another island. I may not, but he won't need to know that," Kilnak smirked.

"What do you plan to tell him?" Michael asked.

"To see if you can relocate out here. That your insight is invaluable to me, and that I would be covering all of your expenses to stay here," Kilnak chuckled. Michael looked over at Missa and seemed to shrug. She was slowly learning the language, and Kilnak was able to translate for her. At the thought of him being able to live with her, she gave a hopeful look.

"Okay. I'll call," Michael caved. Rick was laughing softly from where he was with Sarissa.

"Trust me. I feel your pain," Rick said. "I'll have to do the same thing."

"Really?" Michael chuckled and dialed the number for the boss calling him. He held up a hand for silence. "Hey, Scott. Ah, the guy that's buying these islands and needs security done wants to talk to you. Yeah. Well, he saw the email you sent me. Well, it's kinda hard to hide it when we were going over security measures. Look…"

"Give me the phone," Kilnak said and dried his hands. "Hello, there. Scott, right? Excellent! Joel is the one getting the islands for me. I'm almost ready to drop another three million dollars into your lap for another possible island. I'm also getting ready to drop over half a million on just security defenses alone. I will _only_ work through Michael. So, I'll make you an offer. You let him relocate out here. I will cover his living expenses in full. If he needs to relocate his living space, I'll also help him out. If you don't like it, then fine. Fire him and I'll take my money somewhere else. What do you think?"

"Rock and a hard place," Rick muttered softly. Michael could only nod at that.

"No, I am not the one the signed the contract. My wife, Nichole, did just that with her father. I have Nichole right here. Look. My islands have been infiltrated already. I need Michael out here to survey everything. If you don't want my money, then fine. I get it. I'll go elsewhere. Actually, you know what? Who's your boss? Let me talk to him," Kilnak said sternly. After a few minutes of hold music, which Kilnak completely detested, he heard an older man on the phone. He calmly explained the situation, and this man was in complete agreement with him.

"I'll handle Scott. I like your offers," the man said.

"Good. Also, I want to bring this to your attention," Kilnak said further. "Someone is handing out information on my islands. It's how they knew where to look for them."

"No!"

"Yes. It's true."

"I will definitely look into this!"

"Good. I want to spend more money with you. And I'll take care of Michael. He's invaluable to me right now. Thank you for your time," Kilnak said.

"And thank you for yours! Oh, tell Michael to forward any emails from Scott to me. I want to see what's being said," the man grumbled out. "Scott's been a touch fishy lately."

"Really? Maybe he's the leak," Kilnak mumbled loudly. Now there was an awkward pause.

"That makes more sense than I could have imagined. I'll look into it," the man said and hung up right after. When Kilnak told Michael what happened, the man was amazed.

"You spoke to George?! He actually talked to you?" Michael said. "Wow! He never talks to customers! But with how much money you're giving him, I can see why. He's the owner of the company. I'm sure that the moment he caught wind of you he wanted to talk."

"Good. He said you can relocate if I'm covering your expenses. We also think that Scott is the leak," Kilnak smirked. Michael's jaw dropped. "You report everything to him, right?"

"Yeah…" Michael blinked. "I mean…well…it doesn't seem like him…"

"Tell me. When did your partner get canned?" Lisa asked. "As in let go."

"It was about a day after we got back," Michael frowned. "Scott was waiting for him to talk to him in a side office. One of the office girls was in there. She had to report him for slanderous comments. Scott didn't really seem too happy to let him go, either."

"Could your partner have been working with Scott?" Rick asked. At this, Michael paled.

"You made a connection?" Nichole asked.

"I think so…" Michael swallowed. "Brandon always sent a text to Scott almost every hour to every other hour to report in. When I glanced at a text, I noticed it was in code, but I didn't say anything about it. I just wanted to do my job."

"That's fine. We'll work with you and your needs," Kilnak said. "If any question us, they'll get the runaround. No other choice in it."

"Do you have any pets?" Nichole asked.

"No. Thankfully," Michael chuckled.

"Pets?" Kilnak asked.

"We like to keep and care for animals. In turn, the animals learn to trust us and some give back affection. It's domesticating them," Nichole explained. "Like the dogs and cats we showed you."

"Ah! Interesting. Well, dolphins aren't pets to us. They're like extended family," Kilnak said. "They help us hunt, and we share what we catch with them."

"I can understand that," Michael said. As much as he should be completely worried over his job status, Missa was keeping him calm. At the slight look of worry he had, Kilnak glanced at him. "Oh, just trying to see how I'm supposed to get my things. That's all."

"We plan to have a plot of land built into a small estate," Josh said.

"That's right!" Michael said with a snap and point of his fingers at him. "I can set up defenses."

"You'll get your own spot. Don't worry!" Lisa beamed.

"Hmm…" Tessoo mused allowed from where he was with Annie. "Fear. I feel fear."

"From what?" Nichole asked.

"Someone with him," Tessoo said and looked over at Michael.

"I think that's Scott," Nichole said.

"Ah! Yes. He scared. He found. Ah…_Kilnak, we were right in thinking that he was giving out our surface areas. I get the feeling that he thinks he's in a lot of trouble now. He shouldn't have sent out any calls. On doing that, he gave himself away._"

"Tessoo says that Scott is definitely the leak and running scared. Tessoo, was this happening for a very long time? Over years?" Kilnak asked.

"Yes. Long time," Tessoo sighed and shook his head. Annie frowned, but she got squeezed.

"Anyways, you should forward up any emails that were sent. George wanted them," Kilnak said. "If we can plug up a leak, then I'm not going to complain."

"Agreed," Michael nodded. As he poured through his emails to forward up as many as he could, Joel was soon seen approaching on the yacht. Nichole gave the okay to let Kilnak go to talk to her father. Kep was out hunting with the pod, but Kilnak was able to tell him what was going on. And what was discovered. Joel was livid.

"Do I call Bobby?" Joel asked from the yacht.

"I don't know," Kilnak frowned. "This is pretty serious."

"I know it is. Oh, Tina's here. Tina! Come here," Joel said.

"Yeah?" she smiled. Before she leaned over the side, Joel stopped her.

"Say nothing mean. Okay? If you say the wrong thing even once, your stay may be revoked. Remember. These people are very rich from the treasure they find. Don't say anything that you wouldn't want people to say to you. Got it?" he warned her.

"Okay," she nodded. Only then did she look over the side. At how her jaw dropped, Joel cleared his throat. She remembered his warning. "Um…hi!"

"Hello," Kilnak nodded. "I'm Nichole's husband. I'm a merman. Yes, we do exist. Just be respectful of us and you'll be fine."

"Kilnak?" Nichole asked. He swerved and swam over to her quickly. Pulling her close, he kissed her cradled her. "What does my Dad think on all of this?"

"He's pissed," Kilnak seemed to shrug. He grinned at her odd look. Tina was seen swimming up to the beach and holding onto a dolphin's dorsal fin. When she saw Lisa, the girls squealed and hugged. When Tina saw Nichole and Kilnak, she actually did a double-take.

"Nikki?! Is that you?" Tina gasped.

"Yeah. What is it?" Nichole asked.

"You look so…I mean…hell, you look great!" she said. "Your skin looks like it has an awesome glow from your tan!"

"Well, she _is_ pregnant," Kilnak chuckled. At the sight of the cake, ice cream and pizza, Nichole gave out a small groan. "Your birthday. Stop complaining!"

"Really?" she winced. Ashley was already moving to help with the cake. Several of the Merfolk there were ready to show their curiosity on tasting what was being provided.

"So, how is this supposed to happen?" Kilnak asked.

"We light up some candles, have her blow them out after making a wish, and then we sing the birthday song!" Josh grinned. At the scowl Nichole gave, he laughed.

"Oh, come on, Nichole!" Ashley said. "How often did we ever get to do this with you?"

"I know…" she moped.

"You didn't do this before?" Kilnak asked. At the mild glance to Annie, he understood why. Of course, things were much different now, but he sighed all the same. It would still take time to heal.

"Um…so…who wanted to meet me?" Tina asked. She was still a touch speechless from the odd figures around her. When Sisik emerged from the water, she could only gaze at him with a sheer form of wonder. There was something about him that was completely indescribable to her. For the first time she could ever remember, she found herself blushing. Hard.

"Are you blushing, Tina?" Lisa asked with shock.

"Sh-shut up!" Tina said in a somewhat shaky, squeaky voice. Lisa's jaw dropped. Even Joel found himself surprised. She was never known to be so awkward around anyone.

"Hi," Sisik said softly. "Ah, name Sisik."

"Hi…" Tina said a touch weakly. Lisa now moved with a rather neutral expression to stand behind her friend. Tina was standing in an almost wobbly way. At the sudden splash and shriek, everyone died laughing. Lisa shoved her friend into the water. "What was that for?!"

"Because you needed it," Lisa grinned. Tina sputtered with rage, but found herself pausing when Sisik moved to gently help her get back to the beach. She had never been carried in the water before. She actually liked the sensation. A lot.

"Um…I don't have to go back up just yet," she said.

"You like him," Kilnak grinned wickedly.

"I…" she started. At the musical purr Sisik gave off, she swallowed.

"Tina, it's okay. We all understand," Joel said with a small chuckle.

"It was the same way with me and Lotisoo when we first saw each other," Lisa said with a shrug.

"It's why we don't want to leave, too," Annie smiled. Tessoo smiled and squeezed her. "Um, do you sense anything from them? The others?"

"Hmm…" Tessoo thought.

"Sense?" Michael asked. Now Tina was curious. Ashley was still working on the cake to get it ready for Nichole. Lisa and Josh were glancing over to hear what was going on. Rick was going over the two wounded mermen to ensure they were healing right, but he was also listening in.

"Yes. My brother has the ability to feel out people. Like he did with Scott," Kilnak said. "Dolphins have mild premonitions. Tessoo has that ability, but it's enhanced from being with Annie."

"He's empathic," Nichole said. "And he has the ability to mess around with mental psyches."

"I am not going to piss him off," Michael said. Missa was still clinging to him happily. "And…you won't let me go?"

"She bonded herself to you," Kilnak grinned. "She considers herself as your mate now."

"Ah…" Michael blinked. At the soft, musical purr she gave him, he could only nod with a smile. He found himself pulling her closer to him. When Kep appeared with the rest of the pod, they had more lobsters and lion fish. These were quickly taken up to get cooked.

"Just in time for pizza!" Ashley giggled and began to pass out small squares. They didn't want to feed them too much in case of digestive issues. Just enough to taste was good.

"This is…different…" Kilnak mused over his small piece. Nikki was given a full slice, and he ended up sharing it with her. "I'll blame myself if I get stomach issues later."

"Good," she smiled and kissed him. When it came to the cake and candles, she cringed. But, she made a small wish and blew them out. When the song was sung, Kilnak was snickering at her.

"So, what did you wish for?" Josh asked.

"If I said anything, then it won't come true," she said and stuck out her tongue.

"You will tell me?" Kilnak asked.

"What do you think I wished for?" she smiled.

"Being alone with me?" he muttered in her ear.

"Maybe…" she chuckled.

"I'm granting your wish," he grinned and looked at Joel. "I'm swimming for a little bit with her. Save us a little of that, okay?"

"Right," Joel nodded. Kilnak was quick to swim away with her for some quality time alone. A slice of cake and some of the ice cream was saved and stored in the portable freezer. As the sun began to set, Tina found herself in a predicament. She clearly didn't want to leave Sisik's side.

"Tina?" he asked her softly.

"It's funny," Tina said. Kilnak's dolphin companion was there to happily translate for her. "When it comes to guys, I just…flirt a little and leave them hanging. And…with you…I just…"

"Stay?" he asked with a small smile. "Here?"

"I don't think I would mind it," she said softly. The kiss they shared next sealed her decision. She simply had to stay with him. Even Michael was coming to the same conclusion with the kiss he experienced with Missa. He now made plans to see about moving closer. He didn't have a choice anymore. Joel could only sigh and chuckle at everything. There were only two things he had on his mind now. There was the pageant. Then there was the rest of the family. He was loathing over the second thought of having his family meet the new family. Only one outcome would happen. He was hoping that it would be the better one.


	22. Chapter 22

The next day went by smoothly enough. Tessoo was focusing on the girls to ensure they kept their promise. Michael was given full authority to relocate to the Caribbean. Rick had one day left of his vacation to figure out what he needed to do. Joel was going to help go over his options. They were sitting together on the beach over a small lunch of broiled shrimp and lobster tails as they talked.

"You know you'll have to walk into the office with me," Rick said.

"I know. And if we can't relocate, then I may end up quitting," Joel sighed. "I hate to admit that. I put in a lot of time and effort into my work."

"Even you know we're needed out here," he said.

"Oh, I know it! There's no other way around it. They have no real doctors. They really need us here. And I know that the rest of the family will want to meet Kilnak's family. That's still worrying me," Joel admitted. "I was thinking of inviting my Mother and Ashley's mother out. If they approve of everything, then the rest of the family will fall into line. Even then, it's a long shot."

"Ah. The elders. Yes. Same could be said for anyone, really. If they don't approve?"

"What would you do if your family didn't like Sarissa?"

"Same mindset as you."

"Figures," Joel nodded slightly and cracked open a beer. "Should I make a speech for Roger?"

"Better use the spell check," Rick grinned. Joel laughed softly and could only nod.

"Joe," Tessoo said when he swam over. Annie was on the beach drying out a bit, and he just swam with the others. "The contest. It happen soon?"

"I think that pageant is supposed to happen tomorrow. Rick needs to go back into town to leave for his flight. I still have a few more days," Joel said. Kilnak looked over from where he settled after his swim and thought hard.

"Can you call in to resign? We really need you here. I honestly think that you shouldn't leave," Kilnak said. "If you weren't here for Kessin…"

"I'm aware of it," Joel said. At the sound of Rick's phone ringing, his friend answered it.

"Hello? Roger! Yeah, Joel and I were just talking about you. Ah, I was going to go back tomorrow. That's what my flight is set for. Roger, I can't come in early! You have plenty of staff right now, and you ordered me to take the vacation! What do you mean it was a mistake?" Rick frowned.

"Can I talk to him?" Kilnak asked.

"No," Joel said with a small shake of his head.

"I think I should. Because I want to talk to his boss," Kilnak smirked. Joel rolled his eyes.

"It doesn't work that way with the hospital I work with," he said. "There's more involved. I could have my medical practice stripped from me if I do the wrong thing."

"It won't matter out here."

"It will if I don't get the ability to purchase what I need."

"What do you think Bobby is for?" Kilnak asked. Joel groaned at this.

"Joe, let Kilnak talk," Tessoo said. "All fine."

"All I have to say is that I want to fund the hospital directly. And I will," Kilnak grinned. Now Joel cleared his throat at the idea. It might work.

"Roger, someone wants to talk to you," Rick said. "Ah, the guy who wants to hire me for my services. Same with Joel. We didn't want to say anything, but we were thinking of relocating out here. If we couldn't, then we'd see about resigning. So, you may want to talk to him."

The sudden silence at this news was all he heard when the phone got passed over. Kilnak dried his hands and took up the phone. "Hello! Yes, you heard Rick correctly. My family wants to hire the two of them on as personal doctors. I will be paying them a flat rate fee that far exceeds any amount they've ever been given before. I also want to see about dropping some money into your hospital funds."

"Oh!" the man on the other side said with a bit of surprise. "Well…"

"Who would I have to talk to in order to do this?" Kilnak asked calmly. "Or do I have to go over you to your boss? I can do that, too."

"Ah, there's no need to do that…" Roger coughed. Tessoo shook his head.

"Please transfer me," Kilnak said. "I want to drop quite a bit of money into your corporation."

"How much are we talking?" the man asked. Joel already brought up the figures on his phone and showed the screen. Kilnak grinned. They just sold more treasure. He had plenty to burn.

"Possibly up in the millions. Please transfer me," Kilnak said again. At the music he now heard, he gave a look of dislike. Rick chuckled and sighed.

"I'll have to go back just to see about getting more of my stuff," he said.

"That's fine. We can see about hiring out help for you, too," Kilnak nodded. When a new voice came up on the phone, it was that of a woman. "Hello! Is this the boss of Roger?"

"It is," the woman said.

"Great! I need to talk to you about something," Kilnak said. As he got into an in-depth discussion with her, Rick and Joel looked at each other and chuckled. Tessoo was now mildly focused in on the pageant girls. He found himself grinning.

"Bethany Lori! I just cannot believe you!" the angered mother seemed to pout as her daughter just followed along behind her. "You always try on dresses, and this once you simply couldn't! We're running out of time, too. It's tomorrow! Every other place we've been to has told us there's at least a week wait on a dress! There's only one place left to go, and I know a rush job is going to cost about the same amount as a whole new dress, too. We'll be paying double! I hate to say this, but I think this next dress will need to come out of your pageant savings. There's no other choice."

"What?" Bethany blinked.

"Your father and I can't afford anymore dresses. We wanted to talk to you about it, but it's getting to be too much. So, this dress is going to be all on you. Make it count," her mother said. She was stunned at this news. Completely and thoroughly stunned.

"I thought…that was college money…" she said.

"Dear, do you really plan to go to college and advance yourself?" her mother finally asked. At how Bethany looked now, her mother hugged her. "I know. I know. It's just too much now. I tried so hard! I really did. No matter how I look at this, the money that I have has to go to house payments now. So, I'll let you decide. Do you want to do this pageant or not? If you don't, we can just enjoy the free trip and then go home. If you do, then you need to pay for this dress."

"But…" she faltered. Then she blinked at a hauntingly familiar poke to her mind.

_:Give it up. You may as well stop now. You're as greedy as any others out there. Why bother trying to do anything at this point?:_Tessoo jibed at her. Bethany was at a loss on what to say.

"I really…want to do this…but…" she trembled.

"I know you do. But what good is a crown or a dress that you won't ever wear again? It's time to start thinking practically," her mother said gently.

"Anna-Marie said that her parents agreed that this was her last pageant, too," she swallowed.

"I know. All of us are thinking that," her mother admitted. At this, Bethany was surprised. Tessoo was even intrigued on this knowledge. It showed he was correct. Pageants were always expensive to do. This trip to the Caribbean was no exception. When her daughter showed no response, she asked, "So, what do you want to do? Do you want to see how much a rush job for a dress would be? Or do you want to sit this one out and we'll have room service?"

"Um…let's see what we can find first. If the dress is too much…well…" Bethany frowned. "I guess I don't need another crown."

"Okay," her mother smiled and they hugged tightly. "I know, baby, this is hard for you. But you'll be okay. You're very strong!"

As much as Tessoo wanted to intervene, he didn't. This was a massive learning experience for the girl. She needed to understand that it was time to leave her childhood comforts behind. This would help. Leaving her alone, he went to check on Anna-Marie. She was getting pampered by her mother. Snickering he merely watched her thoughts. She was easily turning the head of every male around her. She ignored it all, though. She was used to it.

"We're going to see where the pageant is to be held," her mother gushed out and led her along.

"Of course," Anna-Marie said with her usual air of confidence.

_:No man will ever want to be around you. Keep showing off that uppity bitch attitude. It's fine by me.:_ Tessoo sneered at her. She shivered and swallowed. _:You really need to lose that nasty streak. It is definitely not attractive to you. If you want a man in your life, it should be a relationship based on equality. Unless you want a weak man that you can step on every day…:_

"I don't want that!" she hissed under her breath so her mother couldn't hear her.

_:Then shape up. Now. Maybe you should look into being a Dominatrix?:_

"Shut up!" she winced. She said it in such a way that it looked like she sneezed. The cold laugh he gave her made her shiver. "You are evil."

_:It's not that I'm evil at all. You need to be taught a lesson. I am trying to show you that lesson. The only way you learn is by being put forcibly into your place. One day you'll wake up. You'll realize that the world doesn't revolve around you. When that happens, you'll panic. You've been spoiled and pampered your entire life! You need to see the truth of the world. Either find a man to continue that spoiling, or grow up. And, let's face it. A man may want kids. What do you think of that?:_

"Honey? Is something wrong?" her mother asked.

"Just anxious," Anna-Marie smiled softly. "It is a very important pageant."

"I know! And in a setting like this! Ah! I'm so glad you suggested it," she beamed.

"Mother," Anna-Marie said and led her to a small bench to sit down and talk to her. "I want to know. Um…is this my last pageant?"

"What?" she frowned.

"I heard…you and Father talking…before we came out here…"

"Oh. You did."

"Yes."

"Well…" her mother sighed hard. "If you overheard everything, then…yes. It may just be your last pageant. Unless you enroll in them yourself."

"If this is my last one, then I had better win it," she said with a small smile.

"That's my girl!" her mother smiled warmly. As much as her daughter was smiling on the outside, she knew all too well of the emotional stress going on beneath the surface. "You will be the star of the show tomorrow! As long as Annie doesn't arrive, you'll easily win!"

"I don't think she will. I was told she got married."

"Did she?! Oh, wow! I'm surprised that Ashley didn't tell me."

"It was a quiet wedding, I think."

"Well, if Annie can get married, then I'm sure that you can, too," her mother nodded. Tessoo laughed in Anna-Marie's mind. The girl paled a bit at the thought of marriage. Now that her fate was neatly being sealed, Tessoo was still laughing when he came back around to himself.

"_Tessoo? What is it?_" Kilnak asked. He had just finished off the call with Roger's boss. Two million dollars was electronically wired directly into the hospital accounts. It was also cemented for Rick and Joel to relocate out to the Caribbean. Kilnak agreed to privately fund the hospital once a year, if able, to show his support for curing diseases. Roger was also going to get interviewed for how he was treating his staff members. There was something clearly not right with him.

"_The main one that likes to hurt Annie. Her matriarch wants her to find a mate!_" Tessoo snickered. Now Kilnak started laughing. Nichole looked over now, and he was able to tell her. She just shook her head. Even Annie was surprised.

"Should I show a form of pity?" Annie asked.

"No!" Tessoo grinned and moved to pull her close and squeeze her.

"At least it's nice to know that relocation is possible," Rick chuckled. "We were given an extra week, right? Other hospitals out here to notify and all?"

"Yes," Kilnak nodded. "Even though we lost what we just made, we need you both out here. So, I paid for you both in full. Think of it like that."

"And you kinda did the same for me," Michael chuckled. "Oh, I need to show you guys something. I requested satellite scans of the island we're on. There's something in the middle of it."

"Is there?" Lisa asked.

"Look," he said and pointed to a small plot that was empty.

"Are there any water holes that you see?" Kilnak asked.

"Not that I can tell," he said. Josh and Doug looked at each other.

"Wanna explore?" Josh asked.

"Sure!" Doug grinned. "The girls will stay here."

"But…" Kina frowned. Josh gave her a kiss and smiled.

"Stay here and swim. If I find something pretty, I'll bring it to you," he said. At this idea, she nodded. "I'll try and be fast, okay?"

"Okay," she smiled. Sitari also showed her worry, but she also agreed to this. Kilnak kissed Nichole softly and whispered to her. Then he dove under the water to scope out the land underneath.

"_What are you looking for?_" Lotisoo asked.

"_An opening to the surface. To see if there is one. Can we look?_" he asked. Grynkar caught on to what was happening, and he was eager to see what he could find out, too.

"_I cannot find a way up,_" he muttered.

"_Can we make a way up?_" Kilnak thought aloud.

"_Not sure. If the surface is solid, then nothing will happen. They may have to make a new way for us. I am very curious as to what could be there!_" Grynkar said.

"_Let's hope nothing dangerous,_" Lotisoo said. "_This surface is much larger than the other one, but still unknown. We will need to move carefully._"

"_Very true,_" his father nodded. As they swam back to the beach to report what they discovered, Josh and Doug were making headway towards the island center. It took some time from all the terrain and plant growth, but they were marking where they went with broken branches. Joel was also with them, much to Ashley's insistence. Rick would stand by in case any wounded appeared.

"Watch yourself!" Joel grunted at a loose branch that almost hit Doug. "The terrain's rough."

"No kidding!" Josh muttered. Joel's fatherly sense of incoming danger happened again when he reached out and pulled Josh back before his son broke an ankle from a small hole in the ground.

"I said to watch yourself!" Joel snapped. "I can't do everything for you!"

"Sorry, Dad," Josh winced.

"Look before you step," he warned. Both of his sons nodded and moved slower through the terrain. At the sight of a snake, thankfully nonvenomous, Joel was able to divert it with a few sticks.

"Why did it have to be snakes?" Doug grumbled.

"Shut up, Indy," Josh smirked. Joel shook his head and they managed to get to their destination. There was a cleared out space of land, but it was too small for anything to land on it. There was nothing of real interest, either. It was just a blank plot of land near the middle of the island with sparse grass growth. It was a bit baffling as to why that was, but they couldn't delve deeper into it for now.

"Nothing really here. But, it could make a decent campsite," Joel mused.

"How far in did we get?" Josh asked. "It was about an hour ago that we left."

"True. This island is much larger from the main one we have. By at least another mile. I'm surprised the beach held up for as long as it did! It would be unrealistic to have any more living with us. We really need to get that estate built," Joel sighed.

"Too bad we can't just transfer the Maryland house to here," Doug grinned.

"Sure. We'll just jack it up and ship it overseas," his father said sarcastically.

"Okay, we can't do that, but we can rebuild a similar house here. Right?" Josh asked.

"But I love that house!" Joel seemed to groan. "I finally paid that house off! Just two years ago! We've had that house since you were two."

"I know, Dad," Josh smiled. "But, think about it. Are we really going to be able to move back to it? Best bet is to see if Kilnak can help us rebuild it out here. It can be the same style and everything…"

"Shut up. I'm the one that's supposed to be making the logical answers," Joel mumbled. Both of his sons laughed. "That might be the only thing to make me happy. I'll have to look over some design specs. And, as much as I _hate_ to admit it…I may have to sell the house."

"Or we take the house apart and bring it here," Doug said.

"It's easier to build another house," Joel said. "What would we do about plumbing? Electric cables? Anything like that? It's a pain in the ass to think about it! It took four months to build that house when your mother and I ordered it. I can spend four months clearing it out and selling what we don't need. I have to clean out that garage, anyways."

"Every other week for that time, you think?" Josh asked as they began to make their way back to the beach. "You and Rick could swap out yourselves to be here and there."

"That's possible," Joel nodded. "I could even send your mother to the house to start packing things up. She knows how to pack boxes a bit better than me, now that I think about it. She can get a head start on that. As for me, I have to try and keep myself around here. Who knows what kind of emergency will drop into my lap?"

"On call 24/7, huh?" Doug frowned.

"Seems to be that way," he admitted. "But, it's fine. It just shows that I'm needed. I'm not complaining about that."

"You also get to be around Nikki a bit more," Josh chuckled.

"Very true," Joel nodded.

"Why do you like her so much?" Doug asked.

"Because she's more grown up than all of you combined," Joel said with a grin. He laughed at the dirty looks they gave him. "She moved out of the house first."

"Because of Annie," Josh said.

"That, too, but she knows a bit more about the world now. She wasn't driven by fashion or looks. She wanted to escape what was going on. And, since she was an adult, I couldn't really stop her. Hell, you saw how happy I was when she accepted the offer to come back! I just wanted her back around for my sanity from you bitching at Annie all the time! Nichole is my reality break. She never asks for things. She never begged for anything from me. That right there made her number one on my list for favorite kids. Lisa is right under her. Do I play favorites? As much as I shouldn't, I do," Joel said.

"But…you still love us, right?" Doug frowned. At the heavy knuckle rub he got to the top of his head, he stammered. Josh was laughing. Until it was done to him.

"Yes, I do. You're my kids. Why wouldn't I?" Joel chuckled. "Just because I may not overly dote on you doesn't mean I appreciate you guys any less. You both want to expand yourselves now. That impresses me. Now, will you both go all the way? I really hope you do."

"They have a lot of online classes to get me started," Josh said.

"I've been working with the builders," Doug seemed to shrug in response.

"I know. Just keep at it," Joel said. The rest of the trip back to the beach was done with a bit of cautiousness when they hit the rough terrain again. They had to focus on foot placement. Following the path they made back to the main beach, they waved when they were seen.

"Doug!" Sitari beamed. He made his way over to her to hug her.

"Hey, you!" he chuckled and kissed her. "Did you swim?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"Drink some water," Kilnak said. "You might be a bit dehydrated."

"Huh?" Doug frowned.

"You're sweating," he said. Doug now realized how soaked his shirt was. Water was quickly given over. Kina pulled Josh to her now to give him a kiss and a relieved hug.

"What did you find?" Ashley asked.

"Nothing," Joel sighed and gulped down his water bottle. "Just a blank spot of land."

"Really?" Michael thought. "Hmm. Maybe I can get some advanced images. It's kinda odd that there's a patch of land that's bare. We should look into it."

"We can later on," Joel agreed. "Right now, though, we need to focus on the present. That pageant about to happen on the mainland. What's going on with it?"

"A live video feed will be broadcasted," Lisa said when she checked the website on her phone.

"Good thing I have a hotspot on my phone," Rick chuckled.

"No kidding! It makes the signal much stronger for us," Josh grinned.

"I'm a bit surprised that it works out here, but I'll go with it. I'll only need to turn that feature on for satellite stuff. If it leave it on too long, then it eats through my data plan," Rick grimaced now.

"Such a thing costs money?" Kilnak asked.

"Yeah. It can get pretty hectic," he nodded.

"How much a month?" Kilnak grinned. Now Rick started laughing. "Do these places count getting paid in advance for services?"

"That's called making a credit," Lisa chuckled. "You can pre-pay for stuff and they pull from it."

"I think we should do that," Kilnak said.

"You'll want to be careful, though. Too much credit on an account would look odd. You'd need to talk to someone high up to arrange it," Ashley said. "Like the owner of the company."

"I can do that," Kilnak seemed to shrug. He looked over at Kep when his pod came back and waved. "_Elder! They found an odd spot on this surface. No life grows._"

"_Did they? Hmm._ Joe, Kilnak says you saw something here?" the older merman asked.

"Yeah. Michael has more info," Joel said and gestured to Michael's laptop. Kep was now shown the images and got filled in from Grynkar's findings below the island.

"Can we dig up?" Kep asked.

"It's solid rock from underneath. We'd need something strong," Kilnak sighed.

"A jackhammer could do it," Rick mused. "Dig out a large enough hole until we get to where the water comes in. Then you guys can chisel out the rest of it from below."

"It might be best to work around early morning. It'll get too hot," Joel said. "I can purchase some shovels. It'll be rough, but, if I think about it, we could make more space to house more couples here, too. Possibly."

"How large is was the interior that you saw?" Kilnak asked.

"It was a good five hundred yards. Not sure, otherwise. We'd have to measure to be completely sure at how large it is. Our main is all rock on the inside, right?" Joel asked Michael.

"The satellite image does show that. Unless we can get a full excavation team to go in, we won't really know for sure," Michael frowned. "I'm up in the air on that one."

"Well, it would be nice to know," Kilnak admitted. "Maybe we can hire a couple of the builders to look for us and report?"

"We could," Joel said. "Did you want to do that?"

"Yeah. Let Bobby know," he said. The call was made and eagerly agreed to. Even Bobby wanted to know what was on the island, and he even sent over his helicopter for air surveillance.

"We should have just called him!" Joel growled. Kilnak started laughing. What they discovered was an odd cave formation on the main island within the rocks at a closer inspection. The moment this was reported, Kilnak ordered the whole thing called off.

"What's wrong?" Josh asked.

"If there's treasure in there," Kilnak said lightly. "I don't want them to find it."

"Ahh!" Nichole chuckled and got pulled close to get held. "I can see why."

"Exactly," Kilnak smiled and kissed her. He rubbed a hand over her belly and sighed. "Did you eat yet? Drink anything?"

"I'm good," she smiled and nuzzled him.

"Ashley, I may need you to head back to the house in Maryland and start prepping stuff to get shipped here. Just to get a head start on things. Our sons may have convinced me to sell the house," Joel sighed. "We could get a duplicate of it built here."

"I can help with that," Kilnak nodded. As they continued to plan out new ways to get furniture and other household items over to the Caribbean after a new home was built, Ashley kept an eye on her email through her phone. Quite a bit of news was unfolding with the pageant. The moment the live stream went online, she would tell the others. They needed to see what happened in full.


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning was very busy on the mainland. It was getting close to the time for the pageant to start. Bethany still held that showman pride and ended up getting a dress done. It was only an hour for the alterations to be done, and the shop even offered her a deal to make the experience better for her. She was going to be displaying one of their very best dresses, and they pounced on the idea for promotional purposes. They would gladly take any new business the pageant brought them.

Tessoo had taken a few naps at various points to ensure that he would be awake through the night. He completely tested the strains on Bethany and Anna-Marie. He did let them get at least two hours of sleep, though. Even he knew it wouldn't be enough. He also had to do a few things to the other four girls, but he wasn't as intense. They were keeping their word on hiding his secret on who he was. He was honoring his word by letting them get more sleep.

"I knew you were anxious, but this is ridiculous!" Anna-Marie's mother sighed. "Those bags under your eyes are terrible! Good thing I got that heavy-duty face cream. Come here…"

"Mother…" she said a touch groggily, but didn't complain. The makeup would make her face look flawless again, but it wouldn't improve her mood. She was taken to a salon where her deluxe dress was waiting. It was a superb dress of white with gold and reddish crème trimmings. Completely Oriental in style and design, it resembled a kimono, but it was a dancing gown at the same time. It clung to her figure like a newly formed second skin with the luxurious feel of silk and ultra-soft velvet.

When she saw herself wearing it in the mirror, her own bit of showman pride came back in full force. It looked simply stunning on her. Mikhail had truly outdone himself. The fantastic clothing artist was there, too. He simply had to be there to introduce her to the crowd. It was easy to tell who he was from the glitzy attire he wore in bold colors of dark red, black and royal purple. He looked sleek, stylish and well groomed from the neatly trimmed moustache to the manicured nails. His aura simply reeked of glamour and wealth. He loved what he did, and he did it well.

None of the girls would see each other until it was time to walk onto the stage. They would all be hidden behind their own privacy curtains, and they wouldn't even know who was wearing what until it was time to show off what they had. It was something they had all mutually agreed on. This way, none of them could try to do any last-minute changes. That was against their personal codes of conduct. As much as Mikhail wanted to spy on them to improve his own designs, he did respect their decision. He was warned that this may be their last pageant, after all.

"That gown looks so spectacular on you!" he gushed at her.

"All of them that you make for me do," Anna-Marie smiled softly.

"You know, if you ever wanted to become a full-time model for me, I would not object to it…" he hinted softly. "I would give you a salary. I would make you my top class model."

"You should accept it," her mother nudged her.

"I'll…think it over," Anna-Marie said politely.

_:You? A professional model? Well, at least you'll fit in with the other snobs and tight-wads out there. Why not?:_ Tessoo snickered. She cleared her throat at this and refocused. _:Who knows? Maybe you'll become a sheep to someone else's flock! Looks like that's exactly what this guy is all about, too.:_

At that thought, she paused and seemed to tense. She couldn't let another control her actions. She would rather die than let that happen. She knew she would be refusing the offer now.

"And whatever happened to the blonde girl? The one that always made you worry, hmm?" Mikhail asked and slicked back his already styled blond-brown hair. He glanced at her with olive-green eyes from under his shades.

"She got married," Anna-Marie shrugged. "She is of no more concern to me."

"Really?! Huh. I was hoping to have her model for me, too. She had also gotten a few gowns from me. Ah, well. Maybe I can contact her husband. I still have a few models that are married that work for me," he mused. Tessoo sent a vibe that it simply wouldn't work out. It wasn't to shake him at all, but it simply sent a grain of doubt through his mind. It worked easily. "But, well, I don't want competition in my modeling business. We'll leave her out of this. Just let me know if you want to wear more of my gowns! The creations I could make with your fluid grace would be unstoppable!"

"You flatter me!" she laughed softly. "Let me work on this pageant first. We can talk after."

"Agreed!" he nodded. Even her mother caught him studying her figure, but she was undecided on this in a way. As much as she wanted her daughter married off, she didn't want just anyone to sweep her off her feet, either. Even her husband would need to have his respect earned.

As Mikhail continued to study how the dress flowed on her, Tessoo was able to peer into his mind. He didn't like how Annie was noticed by him. He would continue to put doubts in his mind about her to keep her off his radar. As he studied Mikhail's thoughts on how he viewed the other girls, he noticed how critical his mind was. It actually disgusted him. He truly did believe that a 'perfect' girl was out there. Annie and Anna-Marie were tied neck and neck for his standards. Tessoo decided to start revealing minor flaws about Annie. As much as he didn't want to, he had no choice. He didn't want this man to covet his wife at any cost.

"Annie," Tessoo whispered softly to wake her. She was sleeping on his shoulder as he held her.

"Hmm?" she asked and yawned.

"Um…strange man. He likes you," he tried to explain.

"Strange? Huh?" she frowned.

"Ah, he makes things. New clothes?" he tried again.

"Makes clothes…Oh! You mean like…for pageants?" she asked. At his nod, she thought. "The only one that Mom ever took me to for special gowns was some guy called Mikhail…"

"Him! He like you," he growled.

"What?!" she blinked. "Ah, no. Ew! He's way too old for me!"

"I make him no like you," he said. "He like you and other. Bad one."

"He likes me…and Anna-Marie?" she frowned. "That's just wrong."

"What's wrong?" Lisa asked as she stretched.

"Remember Mikhail?" she asked.

"That eccentric ego-maniac? Ugh. What about him?" Lisa frowned.

"He apparently had the hots for me," Annie said with a wrinkle of her nose. Now Lisa died laughing. Lotisoo now looked at her curiously. Even Kilnak looked over with complete amusement. Nichole was even a touch surprised at this. She was also very concerned.

"Are you putting it in his head to not like Annie?" Nichole asked.

"Yes," Tessoo nodded.

"Good. Because he has the money to try and find us," she said. Now Kilnak paused at her reasoning. "He actually took one look at me and said I was too lanky. Then he refused me outright to make me a dress for a special dance occasion for school. Go figure."

"He insulted you?" Kilnak asked.

"Yeah, he did. But, at the brush-off I gave him right after, I heard his sulking for the rest of the day," she grinned wickedly. "He doesn't like to be thought of poorly."

"Tessoo…?" Kilnak asked with a small grin. His brother only grinned back a bit wider.

"He will no longer like Annie," Tessoo promised as he spoke out slowly. "I will make it happen. Only I can like Annie."

"I don't want anyone else to like me!" Annie nodded. He squeezed her and gave her a gentle kiss. She knew he would keep her safe.

"What's going on?" Tina asked when she woke up from the small pool she was in. Sisik was still mildly dozing off, but he was also paying attention. She was almost completely non-existent for the small birthday party that happened later in the evening from last night. She had fully bonded with Sisik and was planning to head back to the States to move out to the Caribbean. Her parents never really cared about what she did, anyways. They always trusted her just enough as an adult to make her own decisions. She was already telling them that she likely planned to rent a place with Lisa. The story would be truthful, since she was going to have to live with Lisa's family to be with her new husband.

"You know that weird guy, Mikhail?" Lisa grinned.

"Don't tell me about him," she said quickly and held up her hands. Sisik now narrowed his eyes at this and nudged her to talk more when Kilnak translated for him. "He took one look at me and was adamant for me to join his modeling team. I said no. I saw how he treats them! They looked no better than common animals! Like Hell was he going to do that to me!"

"Maybe that's what Anna-Marie needs. To be treated like that by another," Kilnak snickered softly. Annie only cringed at the thought. Josh and Doug were finally waking up from the pools they were in with their mermaid wives. Michael was sleeping just outside the pool that Missa was sleeping in. Rick was already up and helping out with some cooking.

"What's the topic of discussion?" Rick asked as he flipped over a seared side of salmon.

"Oh, just one of the designers that makes dresses for the pageant," Nikki sighed. "He's as stuck up as the rest of them, you know."

"Ah. Yes, I've seen a few of those in my line of work. They mainly came in for nose jobs," Rick sighed with a chuckle. Now Kilnak was very interested in this.

"Nose jobs?" he asked.

"Some people are born certain ways and want to change their looks. We learned how to do that. Lisa! Get the laptop? Let's show them some before and after pictures," Nichole grinned.

"Ooh! I can do that!" her sister grinned.

"I don't want to see the horror show! I'll be seeing that later with the pageant," Annie said with a sniff. That got Lisa and Nichole to die laughing. Even Tina found herself giggling like mad at the comment. "That reminds me. When is it set to start?"

"Hmm…" Tessoo thought and scanned the minds of the girls he knew of. "Soon. Ah, one of you hours. I think."

"Okay. That's fine," she nodded. "They tended to take place a bit before lunch, so that would sound about right. Oh! Does the site show what all will be featured? For outfits and such?"

"I'll check after this," Lisa said and brought up what people looked like before and after plastic surgery. Kilnak was a touch appalled at some of the lesser jobs, but was also impressed at some of the better jobs done. He was surprised at some of the transformations that people did, too.

"I thought humans would be happy with their looks," Kilnak muttered.

"Some are. Some aren't," Nichole shrugged. He just shook his head.

"All right, I'm looking up that site," Lisa said and began to pull up the pageant listing. "Here it is! Ah! The live feed is working!"

"Bring it up!" Kilnak said with a stern nod.

"It looks like it just started, too. There's the fake crown!" she giggled and pointed at how it got zoomed in on. It looked completely like the true one that Nichole wore on her brow.

"Ah, look! The line-up is starting!" Annie said. "Hey, Mom!"

"Hey!" Ashley said as she came up from the yacht with a dolphin. Joel was right behind her. "I see you already have the live-feed up! Good. We'll watch it with you."

"I want a beer," Joel said.

"Make that two!" Rick grinned. Michael was easily woken up and filled in. He also claimed a beer. As the laptop screen was now focused in on, the main stage was displayed. Seats were already filling up, as it was a free event. It was advertised all over the mainland, and Bobby had made sure to get good seats up front with his wife and son.

"Behave yourself," Bobby warned Mitchell.

"He'll be fine," his wife chided him. Then she whispered to her son, "Let me know which one you like best!"

"Mom!" Mitchell seemed to grumble at her. She laughed softly at him and adjusted her red-tinted hair. She was wearing a nice, cream-colored suit that was almost business-like for the event. The usual jeweled brooch, necklace and earrings graced her form. As much as she wanted to wear a few of the treasure rings, Bobby advised her not to for safety.

The stage was set out in the open with mild shading from the sun and a cooling wind. A red carpet was laid out with small, white outdoor chairs of an elegant design. They were set up for the contestants to sit on when they were not needed to keep from standing around. It was also done right outside the hotel lobby to help boost sales events for the luxurious hotel. The managers were all for it.

"Places please!" one of judges said to the other judges around him. "It's time!"

"We have our ballots!" one of the women judges said. There were six judges in total. Two women and four men. They made up the main committee. As they sat at their table, after introductions to the crowd of onlookers, the announcer in a suit and tie was quick to greet the crowd.

"Are you all ready to see some beautiful ladies?!" the announcer asked to rile up the crowd. "Awesome! Do remember that there is a theme for this pageant! It was hidden from all of you for your own delights! The theme is…ancient family lineage! Yes! We will see exactly where our lovely ladies hailed from! And, for our first contestant, she's beautiful! She's classy! Here is Maria Gonzales!"

She came out from the red velvet curtain and swished her hips to flare out the dancing dress she wore. It was covered in ruffles with bright, vibrant colors of red, green and orange. The ruffles were lined with a sparkling of lace, and her black hair was done up in a tight bun with large, fragrant red blossoms. The corset-like top neatly held in her bust and lifted it for an added effect. The creator of the dress was already giving out details of how it was made to resemble a Salsa dancer's style. It completely complimented her style and walk. When she finished a twirl, she moved to stand in front of a chair to ready herself to sit down after the others came out.

After the cheers happened, the announcer rose up his hands and prepared to talk again. "Isn't she gorgeous?! And now, our next contestant! She's spunky! She's cute! She's won plenty of these in her lifetime! Heeere's Sarah Martin!"

Sarah came out with her spiked up, brown-tinted-blond hair in a bold fashion. Her dress was tight, black leather with a sleek, velvety texture that both accented and slimmed her slender figure down even further. Her round, brown eyes were framed with small glitter dots to make them look even larger, and the large boots she wore seemed to prove a statement as she turned to present herself. As much as the gown looked like it could go into a biker's club, it would easily pass as a ball gown, too.

The one who created her dress just beamed at how it was presented. He seemed to be a dark, elusive artist that had embraced her face and attitude right away. When the cheers and whistles died down for her, the announcer was quick to talk again, "And our next competitor…oh! She's smart! She's sassy! She has a word for anyone and anything! Heeere's Ellenore Choplin!"

Her curvy figure was given a single sheet of dark, midnight blue velvet with sequins done in a spiraled way over her form. Her brown hair was left down to frame her deep, green eyes in a natural way, and a single gold and rhinestone studded hair comb was the only adornment needed. Her dress was simple, but demanded attention and respect in any room. The large woman that made the dress was giggling at how the crowd seemed to be struck by the simple design and power the dress gave off. Even the solitary dark blue sapphire and gold pendant stood out.

"And now!" the announcer shouted for attention. "Here is our very own Oriental beauty! Anna-Marie Himashi!"

The moment the Oriental beauty walked out in her stunning kimono dancing gown finery of white with gold and reddish crème trimmings, the crowd was stunned. The gown fully suited her with its silk, satin and velvet lining and trims. There was a last minute decision done to give her a traditional white shawl with herons in flight on it to enhance her slender form. Her long, straight, jet black hair was artfully done up with jeweled pins set with small rubies and garnets. The look she gave off was stern and commanding as though she owned the pageant already.

_:Remember to smile. It would help, you know.:_ Tessoo chided lightly. At the small smile she gave off, the judges found themselves at a loss. Her face and form were too perfect. They still had two more contestants, but they knew who likely already won. Mikhail was happily going over the dress details, but there wasn't much else to say about what was going on.

Mitchell was simply speechless at her. He actually had doubts that this girl would even think of wanting to be with him. His mother glanced over at him, and she already had plans to try talking to the girl directly after the pageant. Even Bobby was impressed with her. She would make a wonderful match for his son. As much as he would have preferred Annie, this was a safer route to him. It would keep his son off of Kilnak's radar in full.

"What do ya think, folks?!" the announcer said to break the silence. "We still have two more beautiful ladies to see! Shall we bring out the next one?! She's a red head, and her name is Carol McGarner! Let's give her a warm welcome!"

At the cheers, given by the crowd, the curly haired, green-eyed beauty came out wearing a traditional Scottish kilt to enhance her slim, mildly curvy features. The white blouse and plaid vest she wore over it completely flattered her figure to perfection. Her hair was pulled back into a several pins to come down in a braid-like pattern that was both complex and exquisite. She even wore a small, Scottish cap that tilted off to the side to enhance the cuteness factor she already possessed. Even her platform shoes were cute with small red tufts of fabric balled up on the tops of them. She blew a kiss to the crowd to get a couple of wolf howls and whistles.

The creator of the dress seemed to be a slender woman that always went by the roots her clients were born with, so she was completely in love with the theme of this pageant. Her solid belief was to bring back clothing in a glitzy, glamorous way that clearly made a bold statement in any environment. Mikhail was clearly a touch peeved about this. He felt that this one copied his ideas from how Anna-Marie was in her gown that resembled a kimono. Of course, his claims would be shot down about the theme of the event. He would simply pout about it until he got his way.

"Don't talk about bag pipes with her!" the announcer said to get several intense reactions in the form of agreeing shouts. "And here is our last contestant of the hour! She's blond! She's got blue eyes! It's Bethany Torino!"

When she came out in the ice-blue gown that seemed to glitter and sparkle about her form, the other girls actually paused with surprise. She almost looked like she was wearing a costume, but it was clearly not. Her hair was done up and looped around in several spiraled braids. Small barrettes were set in that glittered and sparkled radiantly in any lighting. Even the necklace and earring set she wore fully matched her form. In order to keep with the theme, it was given a touch of an Italian twist in the skirts. It may not sport the colors, but the dress gave a soft feel of Venetian design. She looked like an enchanting fairy princess with completely royal standards in the gown.

The local dress-maker was already gushing out the different fabrics and accessories used to make the gown as Bethany modeled in it. As an added twist, the jewelry was made with authentic Italian silver. Even her necklace was made with Italian glass to further the effect. She gave a graceful, dipping bow to the crowd and moved to where her seat was. The judges were already marking down things on their sheets. Anna-Marie was clearly not pleased at the dresses the others wore. All of them were worthy of being their last pageant show dresses.

"Is her dress taken from a recent movie?" Mitchell muttered to his father. "Of the CGI kind?"

"It's not Halloween. So, I'll go with 'no'. Still a very pretty dress, though," Bobby chuckled. His wife was just delighted at the sight of it. Mikhail was not happy at this. Her gown rivaled his kimono gown. He glanced over at the waiting contestants that now seated themselves and growled. He wanted Anna-Marie to win. He was going to resort to bribery.

"We shall reveal the winner within the next hour!" the main judge said when she stood up. The crowd whistled and cheered as the announcer now started to ask various questions to the contestants for the crowd. At the suggesting of a bikini contest, the announcer made a false slapping motion with a scowl. That got laughter from the others there.

"Are they all single?!" another man asked. At the blushes the girls gave, it only gave away the answer. There were already several bouncers on watch if any men from the audience tried to climb the small stage setting. They were completely protective of the girls.

"I'm glad I'm not there," Annie mumbled as she watched the live-feed.

"Yes," Tessoo nodded and squeezed her. "No need to be there."

"Those girls went all out!" Tina said and giggled softly. "I can hardly tell that they look like hell, too. They must be professionals at this."

"They are. Even I am, too. We were used to getting up at odd hours to do this. It's not easy," Annie sighed. "I'm kinda glad that I don't have to go through that anymore."

"I've seen how you looked when you got home from one of those. You'd sleep all day!" Lisa grinned. "It was also the only time the house was quiet, too…"

"Stop it," Joel warned when Annie's jaw dropped. Tessoo chuckled and squeezed her to calm her back down. Nichole just shook her head with a small smile.

"Well," Josh said. "If the judges are going over votes, this would be an excellent time for you guys to swim for a bit. Kina, don't argue! You need to swim. I'll have salmon ready for you, okay?"

"Okay," she sighed with defeat. He kissed her and let her swim down the make-shift tunnel to join the others. The laps were quickly done, and Joel was seen getting ready to head to the yacht.

"Joe! Don't leave," Tessoo warned.

"Oh? I was going to see about getting more fish," he said.

"No. Not safe now," Tessoo said. Joel only nodded and moved to recline in a chair again.

"Why wouldn't it be safe?" Michael asked.

"Not safe until girls gone," Tessoo tried to explain.

"Ah! With the pageant going on, they may see him and ask about Annie, right?" Lisa asked.

"Yes. Stay here," Tessoo nodded. At the sound of a cough, Lotisoo and Joel were soon at Kessin's pool. Another groan showed the other wounded merman had finally woken up, too. Rick went to handle him carefully to evaluate him.

"_I am helping Kessin. You help the other,_" Liksee said to Lotisoo. He nodded and was quick to move to the other pool. "He okay, Joe. He get better!"

"Good. Change out the wrappings as you need to, okay," Joel chuckled. She nodded and was given some living crabs by Lisa and Josh to help him eat. When the other wounded merman woke up, Lotisoo was able to be the first one seen. At the sight of Joel, there was a grimace.

"_You are with Kilnak's pod. They work with Land Dwellers, and they have healers. Do you remember this? You were very weak when you reached us,_" Lotisoo explained gently.

"_Oh! Yes. I remember. A little bit,_" the merman sighed. Now he looked at Joel and nodded. "_How bad was I when I came in?_"

"_They were able to save the flesh you nearly lost. Now it has to heal. I learned some of the Land Dweller healing techniques. This is Joe, and he helps me help you. If you hunger, we will get you food._"

"_Please?_" the merman cringed. Some soft crabmeat was now handed over with some living crabs. Kep had made sure to keep a steady stock of the nourishing shellfish around. He had just come back, too, with a whole net of them, and he moved to assess the new merman.

"_Hello! I am Kep, the pod elder. What is your name?_" Kep asked.

"_Ah…_" the merman thought as he tore into a crab. "_I am called Sitser._"

"_You are a Lone Wanderer?_" he asked. The name actually sounded familiar to him. Incredibly familiar to him. Now he had to wonder if it was true.

"_Yes. I have been one for some time. One of the luckier until now, I suppose. My mate died some time ago. I have been alone ever since,_" Sitser sighed. When Sitari looked over at him, she paused. At the sound she gave out, he glanced over and his eyes widened. "_Sitari?! Is that…?_"

"_Sire!_" she gasped. Doug blinked when she swam away from his pool to join Sitser's pool. She was trembling all over, but her missing parent hugged her tight. Kep seemed to smile and he nodded. He knew he recognized him. It had just been a few years since Sitser left them.

"That's her father! I never even realized it!" Kilnak said to explain what happened. He was very surprised at this, but also very happy, too. A family member made their way back to the pod.

"Her dad? Oh! Okay," Doug nodded. His wife was already talking about him now, and Sitser could only shake his head and smile softly.

"_Do you…plan to leave again…?_" she asked softly.

"_Well, I don't think you would let me,_" he chuckled. "_It was wrong of me to leave you when you were so young. I was full of so much grief! I am past it now. I will stay and help teach any young you have. I am still a hunter, and I have learned much while surviving on my own._"

"_Good! We will all share in the knowledge you have learned,_" Kep smiled.

"The judges are back!" Lisa said when she saw the screen. Sitser was now being told of what was going on to fill him in. Sitari hadn't left his side yet, and she had Doug come over to settle with them. As much as her father was a bit wary, he knew that it was this group of humans that likely saved his life and reunited him with his daughter. The pros easily outweighed the cons to him. When he saw the black pearl Doug gave her, any doubts he had were now gone. He was with a powerful pod. He was staying with them for as long as he had to.

"And we have a winner!" the announcer said as he looked at the voting ballets. "And…our winner of the Caribbean lineage themed pageant is…"

All six girls stood together nervously. The crowd was hushed. The judges even looked nervous. It was a very close call. "Bethany Torino!"

At first, Anna-Marie was ready to wave at the crowd. At the realization that it wasn't her name called, she was struck dumb. Bethany looked about ready to faint from the shock. She hardly ever won pageants in this group. The other girls were just as shocked at this, but they smiled and helped move her to the front to get the false tiara settled on her head. Anna-Marie forced herself to go with the flow and act happy at the same time. Everyone thought she had the crown. It was a complete blow of shock to her.

"Do not worry!" one of the judges said when he stood up. "All of you will still get prizes!"

"What?" Maria blinked at this.

"Yes! Each of you will receive a bonus prize of five thousand dollars!" the judge announced.

"Bobby," Tessoo smirked from where he watched with Annie.

"Bobby's idea? Interesting," Kilnak smirked.

"And, as Anna-Marie was the second-runner up, she will receive a ten thousand dollar prize!" the judge said as he read the listing. As the judge went on to boast how pleased he was with everyone, the exhaustion from the event finally began to wear on the girls. As the pageant finally came to a close, Anna-Marie was approached by her mother with Mikhail.

"I will hound them all!" Mikhail growled.

"No. It's okay. She won fairly. We will honor it. I still get a prize," Anna-Marie smiled.

"Inexcusable!" he said with a flamboyant twist of his wrist.

"I will give back your dress if you argue," she said with a stern glare. At this, he paled. Her mother even blinked with surprise at this. "I was one point off. They cannot have ties. They judged everything the way they needed to. I have one day to enjoy myself. I'm going to relax. Please, Mikhail, do not bother me tomorrow. Or for the rest of today."

Mikhail could only set his jaw, but he nodded. Then he sped off to see what he could do. Her mother just looked at her and sighed. "I have never seen you do that to anyone."

"I know. He…tried to control me. I won't have that," Anna-Marie said. "I just want to go back to the hotel and rest. Can we?"

"Of course, dear," her mother soothed. At the three figures in the distance, the two of them paused. Mitchell's mother came over to quickly gossip and familiarize herself right away. Bobby only sighed and let his son follow him.

"She is so beautiful! I'm surprised that they didn't let her win!" she sighed.

"It was surprising to all of us," her mother sighed and shrugged.

"Hello! I'm Bobby Sterling. I'm the one that helped fund some of this pageant. My son has…taken a small liking to Anna-Marie. Can they talk at some point?" Bobby chuckled.

"Hi," Mitchell said with a short wave. Even Anna-Marie's mother could tell he was very well off with funds. She found herself smiling at this.

"Oh…" Anna-Marie blinked. She was actually quite taken with him. Now Tessoo saw why Bobby gave over some money for prizes. It was a way to open a path for his son. He was howling with laughter back on the island.

"We can go slowly. I'm sure you're exhausted," Mitchell smiled. Anna-Marie simply smiled and nodded slightly. He knew he had to tread lightly with her. He didn't want to repeat what happened with Annie. If this one needed space, he would give her space. He didn't want to lose this possible prize.


	24. Chapter 24

Tessoo was dying with laughter. He was able to tell Kilnak in broken hoots and clicks what was going on. Kilnak was just as amused as his brother was.

"Annie! Mitchell is going for Anna-Marie!" Kilnak snickered out. When Tessoo gave a yawn, it showed how exhausted he really was. As much as Annie was shaking her head at the news, she knew how tired her husband really was.

"I think it should be okay for him to rest now. It's over and done. It should be fine from here," Annie smiled. At the sudden phone call that Joel got, he checked the caller ID. And he groaned.

"Hello, Mom," he said with a small smile as he answered. Rick cleared his throat and began to serve out the salmon pieces. "Oh. You saw the pageant, too? No, Annie didn't feel like going to this one. She was feeling out of it. It was her decision, Mom. I'm not going to force her to do something that she didn't want to do. Right. Exactly. Nikki is doing fine. So is Lisa. The boys are fine, too. Really? Huh. Well, the house will be empty if you visit. We are all vacationing here in the Caribbean right now. No, it was a boat cruise. It turned into a nice island getaway, instead. Mom, we are not shipwrecked! Please! You should know me better than that! Come on!"

"Here we go…" Ashley sighed and shook her head.

"I think this is where Annie got her argument issues," Lisa smirked. At Annie's small glare, Lotisoo could only chuckle and shrug for Lisa.

"Um, what's wrong with her?" Kilnak frowned as he studied Joel. He could hear everything that was going on in the phone conversation. All of the Merfolk could that were there.

"It's the way she is. Overprotective mother," Ashley chuckled. "I'm the same way with my kids, too. But, as we get older, we get a touch more obsessive."

"A touch?" Lisa asked with a raised brow.

"Do you want to get into it with me? If you do, I'll call _my_ Mother and let you talk to her," Ashley grinned lightly. At how Lisa paled, Kilnak started laughing. Lotisoo was even amused at this.

"I don't think that any of us want to talk to our Grandmas," Nichole sighed.

"Mom, no, I don't think you want to come out here!" Joel said quickly. "Ah, well, I will be moving out here. Yes, I am getting rid of the house. I am having a house built for me. Mom, please! I'll pay you back for your half of the down payment that you did. I can do that now."

"How much was it?" Kilnak asked.

"Around thirty grand," Ashley sighed.

"Yeah, I'll cover it. Give it to her now," Kilnak grinned. Joel looked over with a roll of his eyes and quickly punched in the needed information to transfer the funds. Tina was looking over from where she was with complete shock at how Kilnak was simply giving over money.

"Mom, you are now thirty grand richer. Mom! Listen to me! Check your bank account," Joel insisted in a stern voice. A few minutes of blessed silence were given to him. At the excited tones now heard on the phone, he sighed heavily. "It's okay, Mom. No, I'm not breaking the bank. Aw, fuck it! Mom, Nikki got married into a very wealthy family. That's how I can pay you back. I get funds from her husband, and I'm legally inclined to disperse them. That and he told me to do it just now. Yes, he's here. It's how he told me to give you the money back. Ah, you want to talk to him? Hmm…"

"Give it," Kilnak said and dried his hands.

"Good luck!" Josh mouthed to him in a soft whisper. Kilnak grinned and took the phone.

"Hi. I'm known as Kilnak. I'm a native here," he said calmly.

"A native?! Oh! I thought Nichole had more sense than that," the elderly voice seemed to shrill out mildly. Nichole took in a deep breath for control. Kilnak noticed right away that he was being tested. At Tessoo's small nod and grin, he knew exactly what he had to do.

"Well, I saved her life when she was attacked under water. I earned her trust. I fell in love with her, and she did with me. We married the same night," he said calmly. Now he got stunned silence. "My dolphin companions were able to help me get her to safety. And they're wild dolphins, too. As for funding, I'm an accomplished pearl diver. My entire family is in the business."

"Well, how much do you make?" she asked with a scrutinizing tone.

"I make enough to put your entire family into a permanent form of retirement. And I can put you in a nursing home," he said with a bit of an edge to his tone. Joel's jaw dropped. Ashley was just as stunned. Nichole knew that Kilnak was studying up on various things about human civilization. But what shocked her even more was the laughter that was given back over the phone!

"I like you!" the woman said. "Oh! I haven't laughed that hard in years! Okay, you have my blessing. Now I have to meet you."

"If you do, it may be too much. My family has a certain…condition. It's very shocking. We don't like pictures taken of us. We don't like being talked about in public," he warned.

"Are you a cult?" she asked.

"No. But we are very secretive. Um…" he thought.

"A tribe," Nichole chuckled.

"Yes! Just like that," Kilnak chuckled with agreement.

"Oh! Hmm. Well, I can definitely keep secrets," the woman agreed.

"As long as they're about you?" Kilnak smirked. That got her laughing again.

"She never laughs when she's teased!" Joel exclaimed with shock.

"Been holding out on your son?" Kilnak asked her.

"He's old news!" she insisted. Joel was completely speechless. Even the kids were.

"Anyways, I don't think it's wise for you to come out here. Not unless you have some strong heart medication to keep you from dying of old age," he smirked. The poor woman was laughing so hard that Kilnak had to hold the phone away from his sensitive ears. "And I'd better stop before you pass on before you even bother to try and make the trip."

"Oh…!" she coughed and still found herself giggling. "I swear, if you weren't married, and if I wasn't still married, I'd scoop you up in heartbeat!"

"I'm sorry. You're too old for me," he said with a small grin. She started laughing again. "Nichole is pregnant, though. So, it wouldn't work out."

"What?! She is?!" she gasped.

"Yes. And, I'll reason with you. Annie, Lisa, Doug and Josh all married into my family, too," Kilnak said. Joel made motions of throttling him. The others groaned and seemed to cringe as it was told. Tessoo was just laughing softly.

"You see that everything is fine?" Rick asked.

"Yes," Tessoo nodded.

"I'm just surprised at Namma! I mean…" Annie seemed to fluster up.

"Okay, you just screwed yourself! I need to see you," the lady demanded.

"When can you come out? I'll have Ashley book you a flight," Kilnak chuckled.

"You're serious!"

"Yes. Just remember that we have three main rules. No pictures. No insults. Don't talk about us. We are very secretive people. Also, how good is your swimming?" he asked.

"Me? Swim?" she asked and started laughing. "Honey, I haven't swum in a pool since the 70's! I don't think I can swim anymore."

"How about riding on a dolphin?" he asked.

"Oh! Well…I think I might have a swimsuit somewhere," she mused.

"If you're too worn down, we can inflate a raft," he grinned. She started laughing again.

"Marianne! Who are you talking to?!" an older male called to her in the background.

"Nikki's new husband!" she cackled.

"What?! My little Nick-knack got married?!" he seemed to pout.

"Not. A. Word," Nichole seemed to glare at her husband. The grin he got was ten times wider.

"And…when were you planning to share this with me?" he asked mischievously.

"Quiet!" she grumbled. "I never liked that name. It makes me think that I'm just an item he puts on a shelf. That's usually what a knick-knack is."

"Ah. Okay, I see why you don't like it. But," Kilnak chuckled. "You're more than just an item to me, you know. Now come here."

"For what?" she asked. He began to kiss her softly.

"Are you smooching on the phone with me on?!" the woman scowled.

"Shut up, you old bag!" Kilnak snorted. The laughter was almost piercing. "Anyways, if you really want to come out here, I can book you a flight right now."

"George! We're going to the Caribbean!" she said with excitement.

"Okay. How much am I paying now?" the man moped.

"It's free! We just have to pack! So pack now!" she snapped.

"Oh. Well, I guess that's fine," the man chuckled. Kilnak hung up the phone after that and handed it back to a rather stunned Joel.

"My Mom would have slapped me if I insulted her like that," Joel seemed to sigh and shake his head. "How in the Hell did you get away with it?!"

"I knew she was testing me," Kilnak said. "I was able to hear it in her voice. She was checking to see how much of a, ah, spine I had? I guess?"

"Yes," Tessoo nodded.

"Well, from how hard she was laughing, I guess you got her approval," Ashley giggled.

"Over the phone, sure. But face to face? We'll have to see. Book her a flight," Kilnak said. "And, ah, call your parents?"

"Well, my Mom I can call. My Dad is already gone," Ashley said with a soft sigh. "Been a while back, though. Drunk drivers shouldn't exist."

"What?" Kilnak frowned.

"Sometimes, people drink too much. It…destroys our senses. Makes us very slow to respond to situations. When they get behind the wheel of a car…" Joel said and seemed to raise his hands and shrug. At this, Kilnak seemed to wince and shake his head.

"My Mom is okay, though," Ashley smiled. "A bit more mellowed out, but she's also much more open-minded to different things."

"Not like the rest of your family," Joel grinned.

"Ugh! Tell me about it! My brother would look at porn all day. My sister would nitpick about everything around her. I think we can leave them out of our little family here," she grumbled.

"Yeeeah…" Josh seemed to chuckle. "I never really understood Uncle Justin and Aunt Becka."

Tessoo seemed to laugh and shake his head. He was agreeing with them.

"Anyways, what's next on the list?" Joel asked.

"Ashley, call your mom," Kilnak grinned.

"Okay. I'll do that now," she smiled. As she called up her mother and got into a pleasant conversation with her, Michael was going over his phone calls now to see who he missed.

"Interesting," he muttered.

"What?" Kilnak asked.

"Brandon has been trying to contact me," he said. "I don't like it."

"Hmm…" Tessoo thought.

"Did he leave any voice mails?" Lisa asked.

"It's texts. Mainly how the job search isn't going very well. He wants me to try and get him his old job back. I mean…come on! He tried to hit on another employee! It's not going to happen," Michael grumbled. "For the past three days he's been hounding me!"

"When was he let go?" Kilnak asked.

"Last week," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"Think of him," Tessoo said. Michael looked at him oddly, but began to do just that. Tessoo focused and found himself snarling.

"What is it?!" Kilnak asked.

"_He is on his way here! To this surface! He knows where we are!_" Tessoo hissed.

"Okay. Your former partner is on his way here," Kilnak growled dangerously.

"What?!" Michael seemed to gape. "That's not possible!"

"Do you have your cell phone tracking on?" Josh asked on a whim.

"Well…" Michael paused at the question. He checked his phone settings. Then he swore.

"They can trace us through our phones from here?!" Joel asked with complete disbelief.

"Turn off the signals for now. Your numbers will need to be changed," Kilnak said. "I'm going to rally a few of the pods that are lingering around us."

"_What's going on?_" Sitser asked.

"_Intruders, Sire,_" Sitari sighed. "_This happens much now._"

"_We will stop their device from getting here,_" Lotisoo said.

"I'm calling the pods," Kilnak muttered to Nichole.

"Go," she nodded. He kissed her in a protective way and quickly ducked into the water to swim out to the main open sea. He let out the sonar blast message and returned to her side. The response was almost instant. Several pods appeared and confronted Kilnak with a purpose. At the sight of the trident that he held, many of them were giving gasps of shock and disbelief. Instant respect was given.

"_Someone we do not trust is coming to this surface. This one means to possibly harm us. We are unsure, but we cannot take any chances. We need to be prepared,_" Kilnak said.

"_What is going on?_" Kep asked when he appeared with the rest of the pod. The situation was explained, and he looked over at Michael. "This one now. How is he to you?"

"A complete nuisance," Michael sighed.

"So, you wouldn't care if he died?" Kilnak asked. He wasn't teasing about it.

"I would prefer not to know what happened," he said. Missa seemed to cling to him. He hugged her with a hard sigh and seemed to shake his head.

"Okay?" she asked.

"Not really," he said.

"Talk?" she smiled. He chuckled softly and kissed her.

"Okay," he nodded. He had to talk to her, anyways. She had to learn his language. Kilnak gave a small smile at them and regarded the other Merfolk as Kep helped make a new plan of action.

"_We can weigh the device down,_" Grynkar suggested.

"_That we can,_" Kep mused.

"_I say we shake the device,_" a merman said.

"_I was hoping that would happen, anyways,_" Kilnak grinned.

"_Let's see how far out it is,_" Grynkar said. They dispersed quickly to plan the attack.

"What's going on?" Nichole asked.

"We'll know in a bit," Kilnak said.

"I just don't why they bother us!" she growled.

"Hey," he said softly. "I am taking care of this. Okay?"

"I know. It just…it pisses me off!" she sighed.

"We have treasure. So, we're going to have a few bumps, right?" he smiled.

"It's just not fair!" she seemed to pout. She was completely calmed at the kiss he gave her next. He knew her hormones were through the roof right now.

"What have I always told you?" he murmured against her lips.

"You'll take care of it," she whispered.

"Have I been doing that?"

"Yeah."

"Just remember, Nichole. They have to try and get to us first. Then I get to mess with them," he grinned his slightly fanged grin. "We are very prepared right now."

She nodded and another kiss was pressed to her mouth. He pulled her close after that to cradle her. He missed doing this. He felt her tremble and he squeezed her. He knew she was very stressed over this. He hushed her when she threatened to cry.

"Can we…go to our new island?" she asked.

"And leave the others to fend for themselves?" he asked with a soft chuckle. He nuzzled into her neck and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "As much as I would agree, my people are here now. I have to see this through. Maybe after they leave we can go. Will that be okay?"

"I just…we have no privacy anymore. We have no time to ourselves. I miss having that."

"Trust me. I know this, too. It will get better! We just have to get there. We're so close, Nikki! Our home is being built. We have that place on the mainland being constructed now, too. I'm hoping with you that all of this will be done before the year is out. I'm giving over a lot of money now. Don't worry. I want everything ready for our baby," he soothed and rocked her.

"I do, too," she sighed. He nodded and glanced over at Ashley.

"Well, Mom, you know how it goes. Oh? You just got a text from her? Ah, yeah. I was going to bring it up that the kids eloped! Oh, it's wonderful! I'm here with Joel and the new family. Well, that's the thing. I was hoping you'd want to come out to see everyone. It's just, well, this new family is a very secretive one. You have to promise not to say anything. Just like that, Mom. Can't take pictures, either. That sort of thing. Mom, I don't think Justin or Becka would be able to keep quiet. You know how they can get, too. Okay! I'll set up a ticket for you and email you the details. I'll see you soon!" Ashley beamed and hung up. "Okay, she's on board with this."

"Word will eventually get out," Rick muttered.

"You think so?" Josh frowned.

"It's always bound to happen. Watch. I bet that when it does, we'll all be quarantined together. Discreet food drops and all of that. Just another pain in the ass that would likely happen to ensure the populace stays nice and negligent of everything," he grunted. "But, as long as I'm trapped away with Sarissa, then I won't really care."

"I will refuse to leave Kina," Josh growled and hugged her to him.

"Don't worry. Your mother and I will be the only normal couple seen in public," Joel smirked.

"Up yours!" Rick grinned. Kilnak laughed at them and looked over at Grynkar resurfacing.

"_We found him. He was heading over here, but lost his way. We were able to carefully turn his device back around without him knowing,_" Grynkar reported.

"Excellent! Michael, when you stopped the signal, he lost his way here. We were able to move the boat to go back to the mainland. Are you able to change your number?" Kilnak asked.

"I can. I'll need to let my boss know about it, but I can do it. I'll let him know it's all for security. He can understand that," Michael nodded. He ran a hand over his face and yawned. Then he blinked at what he felt. "I guess I need to shave."

"You can. The yacht's available. Or you can let her take you out to the main ocean part and do it there. The seaweed they use here is better than any shaving lotion you'll find for razor cuts. Not sure where they get it, but I use it for all of their medicinal wrapping," Joel said.

"Is there a small mirror I can use?" Michael asked.

"I have a pocket mirror," Lisa chuckled.

"A what?" Kilnak blinked.

"You don't know what a mirror is?" Nichole asked. "I thought you would have with me by now! Ah, Lisa, bring it here first."

"Okay," Lisa grinned and brought it over. Nichole took it and looked at him.

"This is what we call a mirror. It shows what you look like," she said softly and turned it at him. "It can also reflect light, so you want to be careful. You could blind yourself."

Kilnak took the mirror and gazed into it. He was actually a bit surprised.

"Huh!" he said as he studied his own features. "This is…interesting! I've seen something like it from wrecked ships and such, but nothing this clear before. I'll want to study this when I can. Thanks for showing it to me!"

"Of course," Lisa giggled and took it back. Lotisoo claimed it from her next and was a bit intrigued by it. The rest of the pod was definitely going to want to know more about it. Missa took Michael out to the open waters to let him shave shortly after. Rick knew that he was due for one, too.

"You, too?" Sarissa smiled and felt his face.

"You could say that," Rick nodded.

"I am getting hungry," Annie said.

"Food? We're talking about it now?" Tina asked from where she was reclining.

"Yep! And you need sunblock," Lisa said. "Here! I'll show Sisik how to put it on you."

"At least I know I'll get an all-over tan!" she grinned. "Thanks for bringing me out here, by the way. I'm…still surprised that Sisik is just...well…"

"The perfect one for you?" Lisa seemed to snicker.

"Shut-up!" she scowled. Then she gasped when Kilnak's dolphin companion breached and splashed everyone there. It was completely unexpected and had them all taken by surprise.

"_I make happy!_" he chittered. Kilnak was laughing like crazy and had a mackerel fed to him.

"Why did it do that?" Tina asked as she shook water off of herself.

"He likes to see us laughing and happy. He doesn't like to see us brooding," Kilnak chuckled.

"Tell me about it! Joel's dolphin splashed water on me and sneezed on me, too!" Rick sighed. Kilnak started laughing again. "It's not funny!"

At the breaching splash done to him by Kilnak's companion, a fresh uproar of laughter was done. At the happy squeaking given out, Rick showed how amused he was with a sour look. At the look of hidden laughter done by Sarissa, he could only sigh and shake his head.

"Kilnak," Kep said when he appeared. "We followed the boat back and weighed it down."

"Good to know," Kilnak nodded. Now he was filled in on why everyone was laughing. He gave a chuckle of his own amusement. At the sight of an unknown merman appearing, Kilnak looked over.

"_It is me. Tilk. We spoke before long ago,_" the new male said carefully.

"_Ah. Yes, I remember you. Is there something going on?_" Kilnak asked. This was the first one that saw Nichole with him and questioned them. He also insulted her. A mild form of neutrality was granted now, but he gave it with a cautious air.

"_Um…where did you get the idea for your weapon?_" he asked. "_Many of us would like to know._"

"_Okay. I can show you. But only if you apologize for how you treated me and my mate from before,_" Kilnak said and crossed his arms over his chest. He kept the trident on his back when it wasn't in use. "_And I will not have one made for you. It is rather simple to make one with what is around us._"

"_I know. And…I am sorry…_" Tilk said with a small nod. Tessoo gave his nod that everything was fine. Kilnak nodded at this and looked at Joel.

"Can you get that mermaid book? He wants to know where I got the idea for the trident," Kilnak grinned lightly. Joel cleared his throat and got the book. The moment Tilk saw what the humans thought that the Merfolk looked like, he showed disgust.

"_Remember. They do not know what we look like,_" Kep said lightly. At this reasoning, Tilk nodded. "_We stayed hidden for a very long time. This is how they know us. We should prefer this way. They will not know what we are unless they come here. Only a select few should know._"

"_Of course,_" Tilk nodded. When he glanced over at Tina, the girl found Sisik giving a hissing snarl of possession. She got pulled into his arms to show she was claimed. He turned to see Michael and Missa swimming back in, and he was very surprised. "_Others not of your pod are finding mates, too?!_"

"_Yes,_" Kep nodded. "_And if they do, they become a part of our pod here._"

"_Oh…_" he seemed to frown.

"_What is wrong?_" Kep asked him.

"_I have yet to find a mate that is truly my own,_" Tilk admitted. "_As I scout, I search. For many moons I have done this. I cannot become a Lone Wanderer, as I am needed for my pod. But, it still hurts to know that I have yet to find a mate of my own._"

"_How big is your pod?_" Lotisoo asked.

"_Not many. We try to survive, but it is getting hard now. We have three new young that have just been birthed. We worry for them,_" he said.

"Nikki, this one was the first one that saw us before the moonlight dance. He doesn't have a mate yet, but he's very worried because of how small his pod is. They have new babies," Kilnak frowned. "He apologizes for being rude to us. Would you be mad if he joined us with his family?"

"Kilnak, you know that I don't call the shots for that. But, if there are new babies, I would want to make sure they're safe, too. So, if you think it's okay for them to join, then I will agree," she smiled. He kissed her and saw Kep already talking to the young scout. A look of relief seemed to come across his face, and he swam off soon after. "Dad, I think we'll need a lot more fish."

"Huh?" Joel asked.

"More are going to join my family. And this family has nursing babies," Kilnak explained.

"Babies?!" Tina seemed to beam.

"Ah, yeah. That's right. She loves babies," Lisa grinned. At this said, Kilnak dove into the water to send out a small call to his pod. The nursing mothers and their protective mates soon appeared. At the sight of the babies, Tina was overjoyed.

"Can I hold one?" she asked. Sisik was chuckling at this. The mothers were indecisive at first, but they agreed when Kilnak promised that he would monitor everything. Kep also watched and showed Tina how to work with the infants. Sisik found himself smiling. He couldn't wait for her to have a child for him now. Tessoo began to doze off, but then he blinked awake with alarm.

"_Kilnak! I just saw something!_" Tessoo said and swam over to him. Annie was set on the beach first to keep her safe. "_The one that was sent back. He is joining forces with the others on that other device. The ones we don't need here. Um…the ones that give the Fin Folk food._"

"Researchers?" Kilnak asked.

"Yes!" Tessoo nodded.

"Nikki, Tessoo just told me that Michael's ex-partner is coming back here with the researchers. They know where we are. And now I have to wonder how he knew of them," Kilnak seemed to glower.

"Bobby!" Joel said when he got on his phone. "We have a problem."

"Another one? Geez! They don't leave you alone, eh?" Bobby chuckled over the line.

"Not really. Remember Brandon? The one that called my daughter a 'hot piece of ass'?"

"Oh. Him. What about him?"

"He made his way out here, tried to trace down Michael's signal, got sent back to the mainland when he lost the signal, and now he's found a way to work with the researchers to get out here."

"What…the Hell…"

"Yeah."

"I got it covered."

"Okay," Joel nodded.

"Tell him he'll get another ring for speedy service," Kilnak smirked.

"I heard that!" Bobby laughed.

"Oh, we need a lot more fish, too. We have new nursing mothers," Kilnak called out to be heard.

"Hmm. Maybe we should just buy a share in a fishing industry," Bobby suggested. "It would be cheaper and easier to get the fish we need."

"That's very true. We'll work on it," Joel agreed. He hung up the phone right as the main pod brought up a net of filled with finless lion fish. "Okay. I'm happy. Let's start cooking!"

Then he saw the nets of lobsters. His mouth was already watering, and Ashley was laughing hard. At the next net filled with shrimp, he was amazed.

"We knew more were coming. We hope to have enough," Kep grinned.

"I'll be surprised if this lasts us more than three days," Lisa sighed. Kina was already snatching a couple live shrimp to eat with delight. She wanted the sweetness the meat held in them.

"I need a few more of those," Josh smiled. They were given over with some living soft-shelled crabs for her. Kilnak also opted to get a crab for himself. He needed to eat some of the food he was used to. He had to balance out his body again.

"I'd offer you some, but it might not be good for you. Ah, we'll steam a couple," Kilnak smiled.

"I can do that," she beamed. He kissed her gently and tore into the rest of the crab.

"I was thinking," Doug said from where he sat with Sitari and her father. "When it comes to getting food out here after our place is built, do ya think we can set up some kind of drop bins? We fill them up, drop them in the water and let them swap them out once a day?"

"That's not a bad idea," Joel mused.

"I can see that," Michael nodded. "It would be a good alarm system, too."

"Definitely on to something," Rick said. "We could work on it."

"Iron cages could work. Maybe with a rust-proof alloy," Josh said.

"Lock and key? Or built into the rock somewhere?" Kilnak asked.

"Locks could rust. I'd say to have it so that they settle in a rock crevice behind a hidden wall. Like an elevator system with pull ropes," Nichole said. "Or heavy cable with the electricity running above ground. I can see that working."

"That would work," Joel agreed and opened a beer. As they continued to converse, Bobby was busy working on earning his new ring. He was going to pull as many stops as possible. Brandon was going to be in for it if he was caught.


	25. Chapter 25

He was suspecting nothing out of the ordinary with the research crew. The group wanted to go back to the island, anyways. They wanted to try and document the different dolphin species that were suddenly popping up all over. There were breeds appearing that weren't even native to the Caribbean waters that were spotted. They wanted to see how these new breeds were adapting. The four researchers were in a hurry to get out to sea, but they wanted to be prepared, too. Brandon was getting impatient.

"Well, we aren't seeing any freshwater species. They can't survive out here," one of the men muttered over his notes. "And the bottlenose that I saw just the other day has to be a new species!"

"I think it's a hybrid," another man said.

"Is that even possible?"

"If we can get close to it, then we'll know for sure."

"Can we get going?" Brandon asked and adjusted his glasses.

"We have to refuel, and it's happening right now," the first man said.

"Enough talking! We have to refocus! Clark, how are the coordinates?" a blond man asked.

"Well, Gregory, it's getting there. Nothing's changed," the first man responded and stuck a pen behind his ear. His dark brown hair was swept back, but clipped down short from a recent haircut. "Brent, how many new species did you find?"

"About five. It's really weird!" he said. "And there's Richard. Looks like we're done refueling. Let's lock everything down!"

"Finally…" Brandon muttered. Richard was easy to spot with his light brown hair bound back in a small ponytail. The moment he got on the deck, supplies were looked over. Clark looked at his phone from a text from Bobby. He was the leak that was reporting to him on the researcher activity. Texting back what was going on, he pocketed his phone quickly and started up the engines. He was made aware of possible thwarting. He was prepared to help act out his shock.

"So, why do you need to join us? I mean…" Brent started to ask. He had a set of sunglasses resting in his black hair, and he regarded Brandon with a set of equally black eyes.

"I'm the one that bought your fuel," Brandon chuckled. "I also helped with the security measures on the island you're trying to get to. I have a friend out there that I'm trying to check up on."

"Does he know you're here?" Clark asked.

"He does. He told me to find a way to get here. The word on the island was that you guys track down dolphins all the time, and this place is dolphin central," he shrugged.

"You got that right," Gregory chuckled. Provisions were checked with a plentiful stock of water before the boat was released from the safety ropes. When they got about twenty minutes out from their island destination, they noticed that the boat started to get sluggish.

"Check the propeller!" Brent said. "I really hope that they didn't fuck with us…"

"Who?" Brandon asked.

"Best not to say," Gregory said in warning to the others. "Let's just say that we can be in some very deep shit if we sneak around that island. It cost us almost five hundred bucks to repair what was done last time! If we have any other problems, then we'll have to turn back."

"I'll cover any damages," Brandon said quickly. "I have to reach this island."

"For what reason?" Clark asked. "Look, it's not my business, but we should at least let the island inhabitants know that we're coming. It's a purchased island, and the owners will get pissed."

"Why?" Brent frowned.

"Uh, because it's the right thing to do?" Clark seemed to snort. "It shows we're trying to be honest about approaching them. We know they get pissed off if we sneak around their borders. And it's a purchased island with security now. We could get arrested for trespassing."

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to get that deep in trouble with them," Gregory sighed. "Let me call the main guy who owns the place."

"I'm sure he'll understand!" Brandon said quickly.

"Look. We already had a few bad runs with these people. We can't afford to cut our losses anymore. Let's play by the rules," he said. Brandon was not happy with this at all, but he had no choice. He had no way to get back to the mainland. "I don't want to be stranded out here."

"I'm checking the underside of the boat," Richard said when he went down into the main room to change into scuba gear. Five minutes later, he was in the water and cutting some tough seaweed free from the propeller. Just when he was about to rise up to the water's surface, Grynkar approached him. He was seen before at the main island home, and the researcher went completely still. He didn't recognize Grynkar, but all of the Merfolk looked the same to him. The merman crossed his arms over his chest and glared. Now Richard knew they were being watched.

When he got onto the deck, they all noticed how pale he was.

"We don't need to call, do we?" Gregory winced.

"No," Richard said and cleared his throat. Brent cringed at this news.

"Shit…" Clark grimaced. "Are we still going to try and get there?"

"You don't have a choice," Brandon said. "I'm funding you."

When Gregory's phone went off, it was answered quickly. He recognized Joel's number, and he took a deep breath before talking. "Hello?"

"Hi. It's Kilnak. The main owner of the island. I'm talking on Joel's phone. I understand that you're on your way here," he said carefully. "And this was after we gave you explicit instructions to call ahead if you planned any future visits. Right?"

"Yeah…" Gregory sighed.

"Okay. You sound like you were forced into it," Kilnak said.

"In a sense."

"Another is with you that will be killed on sight," he warned. "Yes, we know who may have forced you. So, this is what we will do. You can get as close as you can in a reasonable range. Then let him off your boat. He will have to swim to us the rest of the way. If he chooses not to swim, then he gets sent back with you. He only asked to be brought to the island, right? Not step foot on it?"

"Now that you put it that way, you're right," Gregory mused. "We did want to check on the new dolphin species. If that was okay? We noticed there may be hybrids. As in, dolphins that are breeding with each other that belong to other species of their type. We want to see what changes they have and document their health and survival rates. It's all for public knowledge."

"You can study them from your boat and at a distance. I'll have a few dolphins swim around you," Kilnak agreed. When the phone disconnected, Gregory looked at Brandon with a sigh.

"That was the island owner. He said that he will let us study the dolphins. None of us are to set foot on the island. He'll have some dolphins swim to us," Gregory said.

"Sweet!" Clark beamed.

"Ah, no…" Brandon said. "We have to get to the island."

"He also said that if any of us wanted to get to the island, we have to swim," Gregory said. Brent cleared his throat and laughed softly. Richard whistled softly at Brandon's look of complete disbelief.

"I don't know if we have any spare scuba gear," Clark started.

"How close can you bring me in?" Brandon sighed with defeat.

"Probably a mile inwards from their security gate. They have a second barrier set up with seaweed now. If we plan to get close, we have to stop just before that extra barrier. Our engine will burn out if we don't," Gregory said. "So, we can get you that far in."

"Fine," Brandon nodded. "But…how did they get seaweed to stay in place? Wouldn't it float off with the different currents?"

"Not sure," he shrugged. The Merfolk had cleverly built the seaweed into a raft-like circle a foot below the surface and pulled strings of it down to secure it to the ocean floor with heavy rocks. It was constantly monitored and kept after with the dolphins. Not only was it a great way to deter boats, but it provided some much needed plant growth for any stranded fish in the open waters. It was even a bit of a nursery for newly hatched fish and other ocean life that got caught in the seaweed vines.

As the boat moved closer to the island, Grynkar kept following with several others. There were dolphins that happily surfaced and chattered to each other as though nothing was wrong. But, the researchers knew better.

"Okay. The island is half a mile away. You see it?" Clark asked Brandon.

"Yeah. Um…how would I get back?" he asked.

"Not sure," Gregory admitted. "But…well…the owner of the island didn't sound too happy with you being here. I would advise for you to just hang out with us."

"I didn't get this far just to back down!" Brandon grounded out.

"Even if you'll get killed if you leave the boat?" Gregory asked. Brandon's face paled. "The island natives are ruthless here. If you've been out here before, then you should know this."

At the sharp chittering of a dolphin, Brent looked out over the water. He was surprised to see Joel swimming out on another dolphin's back. He was let up on the deck, and he seemed to glare at Brandon with complete mistrust. He didn't bother with drying himself off, either. He wasn't planning to stay for a friendly visit.

"Joel?!" Brandon gaped.

"Yeah. I have a message for you. Since I own the island, and the natives are pissed," he said.

"What's the message?" Brent asked. Joel kept his eyes on Brandon to show the message was for him. It actually relieved the others. They weren't in trouble.

"I was asked, very kindly, to come here and address you. You were fired from your job. You were heckling Michael, your ex-partner. You leaked private information. If you try to reach the island, you won't make it there in one piece. So, you have to make a decision. If you want to live, you'll keep your ass here. If you want to die, you leave the boat. Okay, my message is delivered, I'm leaving," Joel grumbled and began to hop over the side of the boat. Brandon moved quickly and planted a right hook into his jaw before anyone saw what happened. Joel fell into the ocean waters, and it was Grynkar that caught him safely under the waves. Gregory was in a complete panic now.

"Oh, shit…" Clark grimaced. At the new text he got from Joel's phone, since it was left on the island to keep it safe from water damage, it was a direct order. _Get Brandon off the boat!_ He had to completely agree with it. He didn't know that Bobby gave over his cell number for emergency contact, but he'd question that later. Right now, he had to remove a threat. He moved quickly and charged into Brandon. The scuffle was intense and brutal. Brandon was now struggling to stay on the boat. Richard saw what Clark was doing, and now he moved to help shove the offender into the water. At the angry squeals the dolphins were giving, Gregory saw how many of them were trying to breach and grab at Brandon to help pull him overboard. He had never seen anything like it in his life.

"What are you doing?!" Gregory hissed.

"Giving them what they want!" Clark growled back. Brent's jaw dropped at this, but the realization now sunk in. The island owners wanted Brandon. The dolphins wanted to collect him for them. The boat wouldn't be able to leave until Brandon was in the water. Gregory looked over at Brent. They both nodded.

"I'll sue you!" Brandon screamed when he was tossed into the water. Kep emerged to give a discreet wave to them as Brandon was now hauled to the island swiftly. The dolphins were now completely relaxed and allowed themselves to be studied and pampered with fish. Brandon was soon hauled onto a beach and tied down with wet seaweed.

"You're a fucking moron!" Michael hissed at him.

"Mike?!" Brandon gaped at him. His glasses managed to stay on, miraculously enough, but were lopsided on his face. Then he saw the female mermaid in the small pool behind him. She actually looked very upset, but it was all concern for Michael. When he glanced around, he saw the Merfolk in full. It was late in the day, but not quite sunset. There was enough light reflecting on the water around them.

"So, who's this asshole?" Tina asked from where she was. She was enjoying a back rub from Sisik. He was putting more sun block lotion on her, and she made no plans to stop him.

"My ex-partner. A leak that told others of where an island was. This island is unregistered to them. We kept it hidden on purpose," Michael said. He looked over at Missa's worried look and found himself sighing. "I'm okay. Just very upset. He shouldn't be here."

"He hurt you?" Missa frowned. Brandon was surprised at how her voice sounded. It was almost as though he was hearing a musical flute talk with a touch of helium.

"Not in a physical way," he said.

"What…are they…?!" Brandon asked with complete disbelief.

"Why should we tell you?" Kilnak asked darkly from where he was guarding Nichole. When Brandon looked over to see them, it was easily seen that his face went three shades whiter. It was mainly because he recognized Nichole. She had her arms around her husband's chest and pressing into his back. "I am Kilnak. Nichole's husband. You punched her father. He was only delivering a message. You are also wanted by some very…powerful figureheads in the Caribbean. So, instead of killing you, which I should, I'm going to turn you in for a very nice and lucrative reward."

"He'll snitch," Lisa said.

"We don't have to let him go back, you know," Josh smirked. "We can just let him drift in the ocean. That should do it."

"Hmm…" Tessoo thought and looked at Joel. He was nursing a rather swollen right jaw. Rick had examined it and declared there were no broken teeth. Annie wasn't sure what to do, as she wanted to help, but Tessoo was guarding over her. Lotisoo wasn't too pleased on everything, and even he was having Lisa keep her distance.

"Why he here?" Sitari asked. "We know?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Doug shrugged. "I think he's here just to piss us all off."

"Wait," Nichole said. "Check him for a phone or a tracking device."

"What?" Joel asked and winced at the pain in his jaw.

"_Elder, give Joe some of the grass water we get from it. It will help him,_" Tessoo said.

"_Ah! Yes, it will!_ Joe, crush this in a cup and drink it. It will help you with the pain," Kep said and handed over a couple of freshly plucked seaweed bulbs that were found on Brandon's bindings.

"Can we boil the water to make it a form of hot tea drink? Just to remove any unknown parasites that could hurt us?" Rick asked. Kep nodded at that idea. It would be a safer method for them. The seaweed bulbs were now punctured and drained into a small pot. It was held over the fire and heated until lightly boiling. Then the liquid was poured into a cup. It smelled horrible, like over-ripe, tart juice that was heavily salted, but Joel was surprised to find it sweet with a mildly salty aftertaste. And, much to his shock, the pain and swelling in his jaw began to slowly die off within a few minutes.

"I have no idea what this seaweed is, but it's awesome stuff," Joel chuckled. Kilnak chuckled, but he kept his glaring watch on Brandon.

"I don't want him here," Nichole sighed hard. "I think he has something on him. Why else would he be trying to get here so badly?"

"I wonder…" Michael mused and reached over to pluck off Brandon's glasses.

"Hey! I need those!" he growled.

"Interesting. These aren't prescription glasses. I never noticed that before," Michael said. Now Brandon appeared to start panicking. "And the plastic where the lenses connect is a very intricate color. Ah. It's all bound together with the glass lens pieces able to pop in and out. It almost looks like it's made to be waterproof. Is there a hammer around here? Maybe a mallet?"

"Check the toolbox," Joel nodded. Ashley was just clucking her tongue and answering the excited texts from her mother. Doug pointed to where the tools were.

"Nikki, if he has a tracer…" Kilnak muttered. Joel was already on the phone with Bobby.

"Do I still get my ring if my boys pick him up?" Bobby asked.

"If they can reach the halfway point in a speedy boat, it's possible," Kilnak nodded. "And I'll add a necklace to ensure that no others try to use the tracking information to reach us."

"Deal. Send Brandon to me," Bobby insisted and disconnected.

"What's going on?!" Brandon gaped.

"I don't know. You see…I never said that I'd be returning you alive," Kilnak seemed to smirk. Brandon began to hyperventilate. "But, if I do kill you, then Nikki will get upset. So, I think it may be safe to simply muddle your senses a bit."

"Are you going to roar at him?" Nichole grinned.

"Yes. I'm going to roar at him," Kilnak grinned back.

"Um…above the water?" Lisa winced.

"I could," Kilnak chuckled. "But it would hurt all of you. So, the only other option is to sink him under the water to do it. I hope he knows how to hold his breath."

"Wait! I'll talk!" Brandon said. "I'll…tell you everything…"

"Good. Start talking now," Michael said. He sat down to let Missa snuggle into his side. At the sight of the pod hunters appearing with the coral spears ready to jab him, he knew he had to spill it.

"Okay. So, here's the deal," Brandon said. "The moment word gets out that an island is purchased, I'm always told to find out how. With the location, too. I report the information up, and if the island looks good, it's checked out in full. Mainly for possible fronts for operations."

"Who do you report to?" Kilnak asked.

"It can vary," he seemed to mope. "We don't just report to ones out here. It's all over."

"Oh, fuck…" Joel seemed to pale. Kilnak's dolphin companion was translating for the others there. "You're a world-wide scam artist?!"

"It's not just me," Brandon said. "Michael was part of it, too."

"I was not!" Michael seemed to growl out at him.

"You just lied," Kep said to Brandon.

"You were part of it by having me as your partner," Brandon muttered. "You helped me achieve what I needed to do. So, you weren't really a part of it. But you did help unknowingly."

"You played me for a fool," Michael said through clenched teeth and shook his head. "Now I see why you wanted to be in on every meeting. On every island purchase and picture hunt. I wouldn't be surprised if you sent the pictures out to your supposed buyers first."

"I had to do what I was told. And when I lost my job…" Brandon cringed. "I know the fault was mine. But now I'm getting hounded for it. I really came out here to see if I could just…"

"Hide from the danger?" Kilnak asked with disgust. "You are actually bringing it right to us."

"And there was a tracker in this. I'm killing it," Michael said when a heavy hammer swung down in the motion to shatter the false glasses. Brandon gave a sense of panic.

"No! Don't do it!" Brandon said quickly. Michael had stopped just before the hammer made contact. "If you do, it will send a small notation as to where they were broken! It's a failsafe!"

"Aw, Hell…" Rick groaned, as Michael dropped the hammer away from the glasses with disbelief. Brandon gave a sigh of relief now. Tessoo shook his head, but it was all truth.

"Fuck me…" Joel grimaced. Then he mused at an idea. "You're currently in the ocean. Okay. Kep, can someone take these and drop them in the ocean really far away from us? I mean, the farther the better? Like…in a dark pit of blackness where they can never be found?"

"Yes, we can," Kep nodded and took the glasses. Some hoots and clicks were given for Grynkar to understand easily and swim off with them. "He is going to swim around different islands first. Some of our dolphins will be with him. After we set a false trail, we shall get rid of them."

"Good. We may have bought ourselves some time," Joel muttered and called up Bobby. "Hey! A question. Did you know that Brandon was giving out information to other outstanding agencies much like your own? If you didn't know, now you do."

"WHAT?!" Bobby screamed.

"So, he was selling information to the highest bidder?" Rick asked.

"No! It was all a location thing…" Brandon tried to explain. "I was just a messenger!"

"He told us that he was only working for one specific group! Mine! Same with the others that worked with him!" Bobby spat out. "And if he got fired and is now being looked for…"

"And if his last location was brought out here…" Joel added.

"Fuck!" Bobby sighed. "I need to contact a few people. And he is _definitely_ coming back straight to me! I know I have some questions for him now. This means that he was getting paid for various key pieces of information. Wait. Now that makes sense…"

"What does?" Kilnak asked from where he was. He was grateful for Nichole splashing water over his skin every now and then. He couldn't afford to submerse himself right now. He had to hear everything going on around him.

"We had a minor dispute over island properly a couple years back," Bobby said. "There was a group in Florida that was competing with us for an island that was mid-way through. In the end, they won out. We lost a couple good men from it, and said to Hell with it. The island wasn't that great, but it was still in a nice enough area. Anyways, we wondered all that time how another faction was able to find the same exact island. We thought it was by pure chance."

"Now we know the truth," Michael muttered and found himself succumbing to Missa's mild shoulder rub. When she slowed up, he gave a small look with a soft smile. She beamed and continued to massage him again now that she knew it was needed. "I had no idea that I was being played. Speaking of which, I need to notify George. He needs to know."

"But…" Brandon seemed to wince.

"No. Fuck you. He worked fucking hard to get to where he is today!" Michael snapped at him.

"You don't understand! If others get fired, he'll get targeted!" Brandon said.

"Aw, Hell…" Michael sighed.

"Call him," Tessoo said with a small grin. "All fine."

"If you say so," Michael smiled back and made the call. "George! I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" he asked on the other end.

"Your business has been hijacked by mobsters."

"Really?! Huh. Do you know by whom?"

"Brandon and a few others. Brandon is here with me. He just spilled his guts about this."

"No. Oh, no…" George seemed to whisper. "He was supposed to keep quiet!"

"Wait…what?!" Michael gaped. Bobby was listening in on the other phone. Tessoo was grinning very, very widely. Kilnak was staring at him with disbelief.

"So…he's…part of it…?" Annie whispered. Tessoo nodded.

"Are my islands secured at least?" Joel sighed and seemed to hold his head in his hands as he sat on the beach. This was too much for him. Ashley moved to hug him to show she was there.

"All fine," Tessoo nodded.

"Yeah, he's right. They are legally yours. But…George…why?" Michael asked.

"It's hard selling islands to the locals, you know? It's the economy," he finally broke down. "I do sell them legally. I don't know who all does what on them. But…"

"Stop. Just stop. But, because Brandon was fired, he thinks he'll get looked for," Michael said.

"No, he won't. He got fired for sexual harassment. It's a legal firing. He's on his own," George grunted out. "I'll inform anyone that contacts me. I won't tell him where he is, either."

"His glasses had a tracking pin in them," Michael added.

"That's not tracking," George chuckled. "It's an alarm to let him know where they were."

"No," Tessoo shook his head at the lie.

"George…" Michael warned.

"Okay, you saw through the bluff. It's not a real tracker, so to speak. In a way, it helps me keep an eye on where he is at all times. Because you didn't know anything, you didn't get one," he admitted. Tessoo nodded at this. "I also trusted you."

"But not with this?" he asked.

"Michael, you are a very honorable man. Honorable men get men like me in trouble," George seemed to laugh out lightly. Michael could only agree to that. "Don't worry. I can cover my tracks. Brandon is on his own. And you have my word that I won't breathe about this to anyone. Any islands that you get for the people you're working with will be untouched by anyone I deal with."

"He good," Tessoo nodded. Kilnak could only sigh, but he trusted his brother's judgment.

"Okay. I'm holding you to it!" Michael said. The line dropped and he glanced at Joel's phone. "Well, Bobby, what do you think?"

"George is a good guy. I don't think he knew about all of it, though, with the double contacts," Bobby said thoughtfully. Joel had put him on speaker now to be heard. "He always played by the rules and made sure not to give out the same information twice. So, someone else did to turn a profit under the table. I'm going to want names. I'll leave George out of it. So, Brandon, you need to meet with me. It's mandatory. You work with me, I'll go lenient on what happens with you. You don't want my bosses to question you, right?"

"Um…no…" Brandon grimaced.

"Good. Come to me willingly and we'll talk like grown-ups. Okay?" Bobby said.

"We have a deal," Brandon agreed.

"You'll get your ring. I'll add the necklace after this shit is cleaned up," Kilnak said.

"Duly noted!" Bobby said.

"A dolphin will take you out to sea. Just hang on to it," Kilnak said to Brandon.

"What?!" he gaped.

"Your clothes are already wet. Just go with it!" Doug smirked.

"_He should be watched over,_" Sitser warned.

"_He will be,_" Kep agreed.

"And remember," Kilnak said with a chilling glare and a cold tone. "You say nothing about meeting us. Bobby knows about us. But no others. And trust me. We _will_ find out if you say anything. So keep your mouth shut and accept your fate. Be _very_ glad that you are leaving here alive."

Brandon agreed to the warning, and his seaweed bindings were removed. He left the island with a dolphin. The pod hunters would ensure he got to the waiting boat for transfer. Grynkar had already disposed of the glasses when he got back, and he was now enjoying a well-deserved cooked shrimp dinner. Everything was going fine until Joel got a text from his mother. She was now in the air and on her way to the island. He groaned, but he knew it was inevitable. He only hoped she wouldn't die from the shock of seeing Kilnak's people.


	26. Chapter 26

"Hurry up!" the elderly woman in elegant dress grunted to her husband at the hotel lobby. "He's waiting for us! We have to hurry!"

"I'm coming," her husband grunted. She had Joel's blue eyes, and her shoulder-length, graying hair was tinted blond to keep it looking natural. She was wearing cream colored clothing in the form of a light top and bottom skirt-like setup. Sandals were on her feet, and sunglasses were sitting neatly on her head. She looked like she was just starting to show a hint of fat on her belly, but it wasn't anything that was noticeable right away. She always tried to eat healthy, and it helped keep her looking rather youthful.

Her husband was a bit more relaxed in his eating, but he still looked like he was in his forties than his sixties. That was mainly because he still liked to try and have a semi-active lifestyle with a little tennis and golf here and there. He still had a good head of graying brown hair on him, and his jade green eyes were clear. He was dressed in light yellow shorts with a white collar shirt. White sneakers that were designed for foot comfort padded along lightly behind his wife.

They both paused at the sight of an older lady walking over calmly. She was wearing a full-length sun dress of dark orange in color with a straw hat and matching flip flops with large, decorative white daisies on the straps. Her light brown hair was clipped short since her figure was a touch rounder, but much of it was from medical problems. Her green-brown eyes were clear enough to give her good vision, but she could easily be diagnosed with needing glasses if she didn't watch herself.

"Edith! Oh, you're here, too?" the woman asked.

"I am!" she laughed and the older women embraced. "It's good to see you both! Marianne, I'm guessing you talked to Joel?"

"I called him up," she giggled. "Nikki's husband is a riot!"

"She likes him better than me," her husband frowned.

"Oh, George, don't let it get to you," Edith soothed with a smile.

"Are the others with you?" Marianne asked with dismay.

"Do you think I would let my porn crazy son and disputing daughter come here?" Edith asked evenly. That got the couple laughing. "I came alone! Ashley and I both agreed to that. I was very happy at how uneventful and quiet it is. It's what I need."

"Maybe I should have come alone, too," Marianne mused.

"What?!" George asked and grumbled to get them laughing. At the sight of a man holding up a sign for them at the main hotel lobby entrance, the three elders walked over to wave.

"I am to take you to the docks," the man said. It was the taxi driver that Joel had befriended. "You will all be taken by boat to your destination."

"Oh, wow!" Edith giggled. "I have my swimsuit!"

She patted her large bag at her side. Marianne showed that she had both hers and George's swimming attire in her bag, too. They followed the taxi driver to his waiting cab, and they piled in. As they got buckled in, he said, "Do not worry about tips or fees. I have been covered."

"Oh! Good to know," Marianne smiled. George let his gaze move out to study the surroundings, as the women gossiped to each other to catch up on current events. When they reached the dockside, the three elders got out and marveled over the sight of Little Star. Joel walked out and waved to them.

"Hi, Mom. Dad, good to see you. Wonderful to see you, too, Edith. Let's get going. Oh! The fish! Yes. Thank you," Joel nodded at the dock workers bringing in coolers of fresh salmon and mackerel. There was even a specialty crate filled with octopus and squid. At the sight of sardines, tilapia and snapper, he chuckled. Then he blinked at the next crate of giant tiger shrimp with a note on it from Bobby that it was a gift from his Boss. He sighed at that, but the food was needed. Apparently, it was appreciated to know that various forms of competition were being shut down.

"Are you building an aquarium?" George asked.

"If they were alive, sure. But, they're all dead. It's all food for the natives and dolphins. Anyways, we need to get going. It takes an hour to get there, and the sea is pretty calm right now," Joel said. "And, yes, Dad. I have beer."

"I'll sit with you," George grinned happily.

"Don't let him drive!" Marianne ordered.

"Don't worry, Mom. I'll be driving. And, no, I won't be holding the beer," Joel rolled his eyes.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?!" she gasped.

"Mom…" Joel warned.

"Marianne, he's fine. He drives better drunk than he does walking drunk," George snorted and moved onto the boat. She sighed and shook her head, but she moved onto the boat with Edith. Once the men were at the command helm, the beers were revealed and the boat started to move. Joel let out a sigh of relief at the bit of relaxation he was going to get. Or so he thought when his dad started up a conversation with him. "So, you own this?"

"Nope. This is Nikki's boat. I just shuttle it around for her," Joel said and cracked open a beer. "Oh, I have to feed a few of the dolphins. Without them, I can't get to our destination right. Just hold the wheel steady for me for a couple minutes. I'll leave my beer here. Don't open a beer for yourself yet."

"You think I would while handling an unknown locomotive? You should know me better!" his father muttered. "Wait. You do know me better."

"Yep!" Joel grinned and moved to the deck to open up a Styrofoam crate of mackerel. "Hey, Mom! Want to do something for me?"

"What?" she asked and managed to walk over. "And who's driving?"

"Dad is, but he's not drinking yet," Joel said and opened a Styrofoam crate of mackerel. "This crate is strictly for the dolphins. When they appear, start throwing a few fish over the side."

"You want me to touch that?!" she gaped.

"Mom, you told me that doing new things builds character," he smirked.

"Don't you use my own advice against me!" she chastised him.

"Look. You can use this," he said and got a set of aluminum tongs for her to use. This she was grateful for, and she actually found herself jumping with delight at the chittering dolphins that put on various shows for her for food. "Try and feed them the fish a little sparingly. I only want to use this one crate, okay? When this is gone, we can't use the other crates."

"Got it," she nodded. Edith was soon coming over to join in on the fun. He was quick to move back down to the helm to take it over. Like him, his dad needed a beer, too, after a while. His opened beer was quickly reclaimed and sipped eagerly.

"Okay, son. Spill it," his father said. He had opened his beer, but he wasn't drinking it yet. Like Joel, he needed to be completely calmed before drinking. This was how Joel got his attitude on beer drinking. It was only a given.

"Spill what?" Joel asked as he followed the pod.

"What's really going on?"

"Well, it's like I told Mom. Nikki's husband finds treasure. A lot of it. It's how this boat was purchased, as well as giving back Mom's funds for the house," he explained.

"And not being able to talk about them?" George asked.

"Dad, it's something you simply can't describe," Joel sighed. "Hell, even I can't describe it. No one would believe you if said something, anyways."

"Who did she marry exactly? A tooth fairy?"

"No. More like a merman," Joel said calmly. At first, George was going to combat it. Then he noticed how calm his son was. It was a solid truth.

"I can see why secrecy is needed."

"Yeah. He's been around for a long time with his people. They are very good at hiding. And if word got out, his people would be exploited. Especially with the treasure they find. Don't believe me? Check this out," he said and handed over a Spanish doubloon. "That's a pirate coin and worth about fifteen grand. The paperwork is folded up and in the small drawer next to you. They found a chest of these. All of them in mint condition."

"I…" George was shocked.

"They find jewelry, tableware, cutlery…you name it, they can find it if it's there. They don't really have a use for gold and gems. It was only recently that they began to find the treasure for Nichole. But, they do love pearls," Joel grinned. "Pearls are a status symbol with them. Especially the black pearls. Those pearls are symbols of power."

His father was speechless. Then Joel looked out the side window and pointed. George followed his son's direction and stared at the sight of Grynkar waving at them. "Is that…?!"

"Yes. But, that's not Kilnak. That's Grynkar. He's a scout. He's just making sure that we're doing well," Joel chuckled. "Grynkar is Kilnak's uncle. You see why I didn't say anything."

"Your mother is not going to be pleased."

"Not her choice. If she doesn't like it, she gets to go home. And she may never hear from me again," Joel said. Now his father looked at him with a look of hurt. At the same time, he understood.

"Just let me come back, okay?" he said.

"We can work out business trips," Joel nodded. His father squeezed his son's arm and finally took a sip of his beer. "It's why I have to sell the house. Kilnak's family really needs me out here. I already arranged to be transferred. Everything is being rebuilt out here, too. His family is funding the move. An island home is being converted. All of this started up when Nikki came out here for vacation before us. Kilnak saved her life and killed the one that was harassing her nonstop. Even when I was out here, the fucker tried to keep going after her! It was disgusting."

"And her husband killed him?" George asked. At Joel's nod, he said, "Good. I would have brought my twelve gauge shotgun out."

"Still love your guns?" Joel snickered.

"Why the Hell not?" George grinned. "They protect me and your mother."

"Despite what the neighbors say?"

"Do you think I listen to them as they eat their vegetable curds and drink their diet sodas?" he asked and Joel started laughing. "I put a slab of meat on my grill, and they cry out that it's cruelty!"

"Ever thought of throwing rotting fish under their porches?" Joel asked. Now George blinked with complete amusement at this. "Better yet, get fresh fish so the smell doesn't start right away."

"I think I can hire a couple of the neighborhood kids to do that," he thought aloud. "They have a lot of gutter pipes left open, too."

"Fish paste under the door mats?" Joel grinned wickedly.

"That I can work with. It may even bring about a few stray cats to spray around the steps and scream on their fences," George grinned just as wickedly. They continued their different ideas of neighborhood schemes, and the women were still watching the wonderful dolphin display. They managed to carefully salvage the mackerel up until they finally saw the destined island in sight. As they gazed out over the ocean, Edith was the one that saw the wounded dolphin in the distance. She frowned at that and ran down to where Joel was.

"Joel, one of the dolphins out there looks sick," she said. "Maybe even hurt."

"What?" Joel blinked. "Hmm. I'm not a vet, but I know the natives may be able to help. Okay, the boat's parked. We have another five minutes, but I need to look into this. One moment, Dad."

"I'll go with you," George said and rose up to move with him. Joel looked out over the railing and easily spotted the odd one out.

"Grynkar! Are you out there?!" Joel called. At the sight of the merman rising up, Marianne and Edith both dropped their jaws. "Sick one? Or hurt?"

"Sick? Hurt?" Grynkar frowned and turned to where Joel was pointed. He swam off quickly to help the struggling dolphin. It had just arrived from the waves and was only noticed now. Other dolphins moved to squeak and click encouragement when Grynkar moved to support it. There was definitely an internal illness going on. He brought over the dolphin carefully. "Sick. Very sick."

"What can you do?" Joel asked.

"Hmm. Kep! I get Kep!" Grynkar nodded. The other dolphins would protect their sick kindred, and Grynkar was quick to swim off.

"Joel?!" Marianne asked with disbelief.

"Grynkar is Kilnak's uncle. Nikki married a merman. It's why I'm rich. It's from them," Joel said calmly. Edith was just as surprised. "Now you know why you can't say anything. And if you're rude to them, then you may as well plan to visit other family from here on out. This is why Kilnak told you that he was unsure if you should visit."

"Oh…" Marianne blinked at this.

"He loves Nichole with everything he has and more. He gives her everything he finds. And, yes, she is pregnant with his baby. She will not abort it. She will not give it away. If you insult her, she will chew you out and demand for you to leave. So, as you always told me, be respectful in new places," Joel said calmly. He looked out when Kep arrived with Grynkar.

"Joe," Kep said and waved. "This one is very sick. Um, I know that there may be something we can get. But, it's hard to find."

"What do you need? I'll do what I can," Joel nodded. Then he looked at his mother and Edith. "Kep is Kilnak's grandfather. And Grynkar's father. He is the main man of the family. He can also speak our language very well. Just so you both know."

"Okay," Edith nodded. "What does he need?"

"Edith?" Marianne frowned.

"If he is family now, then I'm treating him like family," she said. "He's trying to help an animal, too. So, he's good in my book. Also, he can talk to us! He is more than what he seems."

"But…" Marianne started, but Edith held up her hands.

"I want to see my daughter again. Do you want to continue to see your son? We need to give them a chance. If Ashley and Joel did this, and we see how they are, then we should do the same thing, too," she said calmly. Edith was likely the only one that could actually talk reason to others. It was why Joel wanted her out when his parents came out. Marianne thought over everything, sighed and gave a nod. "Good. I know it's shocking, but think about it. If our family is happy out here, we need to do this. So, let's meet the new family and see what we can do to help."

"This one ate poison. Do we have something that can absorb it?" Kep asked.

"Poison? Odd. Well, I know that ground up charcoal and egg whites could help. I think we have charcoal from the fire and eggs from a crate on the island. Okay. Let me call Nikki," Joel said and moved to his phone to give a quick call.

"Dad?" Nichole answered.

"Hey. Grandma Marianne and Grandpa George are with me. Grandma Edith is here, too, and she found a sick dolphin. Kep says it ate poison. Have Rick start to grind up a mash of charcoal and egg whites. Let's hope it works," Joel said.

"Wait. Did they see…?" Nichole asked.

"Yes. And they agreed to give everyone a chance," Joel said calmly.

"Okay. I'll tell this to Rick. And poison?" she frowned.

"Not sure, but if Kep believes it, then what do I know?" he sighed. She agreed to that and they hung up. He leaned over the side and said, "Okay. We might have something. Take the dolphin back to the island. I'll bring the boat there shortly."

"Okay," Kep nodded and gently coaxed the sick dolphin to swim. Other dolphins moved to help. As they swam, Kep asked, "_What did you eat?_"

"_Fish. Eat that. Was wrong. Couldn't stop. Taste bad,_" the dolphin whistled lightly. "_I hurt._"

"_I know you hurt. We will help you stop hurting,_" Kep soothed and gently pressed a hand under the dolphin's belly. At the small squeal it gave, he pressed upwards as though to force the foul food out. The tactic worked, and the dolphin soon got sick to remove the poisoned fish. Grynkar did grab what was left, though. He wanted to see what made it poisoned. Now that the main part of the deadly fish was out, the dolphin did feel better, but still needed a remedy for what was left.

When they got to the island, Rick was able to mix up the cure in some fish meal to help disguise the taste. Kep was able to coax the dolphin into eating it, and it easily appeared to do the trick. At the sight of Little Star approaching, Kilnak only sighed. It was starting to get cloudy, so he was able to stay out of the water a bit longer. The misting pumps were also constantly looked over and cleaned to keep the tubes clear of debris. Even the humidifier got a thorough check.

"Okay, it's time to put on your swimsuits," Joel chuckled when he docked the yacht. The elderly folk glanced at each other, but Edith was the one that went into the bathroom to claim it. Marianne and George went into the small bedroom. Edith came out wearing her navy blue one-piece with a built-in skirt. Marianne was wearing a black one-piece that seemed to reveal much of her belly and back. George was wearing a white swim shirt and black trunks. He also had on specialized rubber shoes to protect his feet in the water. Joel was lowering a ladder for them to climb down.

"What do we do when we hit the water?" George asked.

"Grab onto a dolphin's dorsal fin. Don't tug on them. Just hold on and they'll do the rest," Joel said carefully. "If you hurt them, they won't let you ride with them."

"Her husband wasn't kidding," Marianne muttered under her breath. "This is the most exercise I've had in a while!"

"I can't comment on that," George grunted to his grinning son.

"Mom, this is nothing. I had to ride on a dolphin's back for four hours in total. And that was before I got the yacht," Joel smirked.

"Four hours?!" Marianne gaped.

"It's an hour here and back. And I was holding stuff, too. So, yeah. I don't want to repeat that," Joel chuckled. George was staring at him like he was crazy. "Nikki had to do it, too."

"Oh, my goodness!" Edith paled. "I'm glad you got the boat!"

"Me, too," Joel nodded. "Anyways, our new family is waiting to meet with you all."

"Right, right," Marianne said and moved down the ladder first. She was able to carefully grip the waiting dolphin's dorsal fin to get gently pulled along to the beach. She actually found herself enjoying the swim. When she reached the beach, Lisa gave her a hug.

"Namma!" Lisa beamed. The older woman found herself embraced by the other kids, and then she was able to regard where Nichole was with Kilnak. It was usually Nichole that hugged her first.

"Nikki?" Marianne asked and looked at her.

"Until I know that you're okay with everything, I have to stay here," Nichole said softly. "I get sick so much now that I can't risk it."

"It's okay," Kilnak soothed her. He looked over at Marianne with a nod. "Hi. I'm Kilnak. I see your body didn't fall apart on the way here! Good to know."

At first the older lady didn't respond just by what she was looking at. At the retort given now, she widened her eyes and tried to hold back a laugh. She failed miserably. Tessoo was simply grinning when Annie got back into his arms. Marianne cleared her throat and said, "Shame on you for addressing your elders like that!"

"Really? You're an elder? I thought you were a corpse," Kilnak smirked. She found herself laughing at this now. "Don't worry. We have enough food here for you. I'm sure we can strain something easy for you to swallow down. I'm not sure if your dentures would hold up…"

"Stop!" she gasped and laughed even harder. He simply regarded her and crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay. Yes, I'll admit it. I didn't expect to see a…ah…"

"If you call me a fish," Kilnak warned. "The next insult I give you won't be a joke."

"I wasn't going to say that!" she scoffed. "I was going to say a hybrid dolphin! Like some man got it into his head to try screwing with one of them!"

"Okay. That's funny," Kilnak grinned. "Seriously, though. Calling my people fish is like calling you a monkey. We eat fish."

"Well, some of our cultures eat monkeys. So, we aren't so different," she seemed to shrug. Kilnak found himself chuckling at that. "But I understand your concerns. Nikki, can I get my hug now?"

"Okay, Namma," she smiled. Kilnak carried her over to let her hug her older relation happily.

"Now you have to tell me how often you get sick, how it all happened and how far along you are," Marianne ordered and started to feel various parts of her face and neck. "And you are _way_ too hot! That's why you keep getting sick! You need to sit in front of a fan. Ashley! Are there any fans here?"

"Oh. I didn't think of that!" Ashley blinked. Joel had just swam over when he caught what was going on. "Joel, Marianne says that Nikki needs a fan."

"I…didn't think of that…" Joel admitted. "We can invest in a basic electric fan."

"A fan?" Kilnak asked.

"Don't you know what a fan is?" Marianne asked him.

"Ah…look at me. Look at where I live," Kilnak said carefully.

"Oh. That's right," she sighed. "You live in an underwater cave."

"And you live in a coffin," he snorted. She snickered at that.

"I'll show him a picture book image," Nichole smiled.

"A kid's book?" she blinked.

"It's how he knows a lot. I even show him videos from the internet," Nichole chuckled. When Edith and George arrived, they got hugged and greeted next. At the sight of the Merfolk there, they were both taken by complete surprise.

"Rick? They let you out of the hospital?" George asked. He was purposely refraining from commenting on the odd ones there out of respect. Kilnak had noticed this rather quickly.

"Hah! Sure. Good to see you again, too," Rick chuckled.

"And…Tina? Huh. Didn't expect you here. Do your parents know?" George asked.

"Oh. Um…no. Not yet," she seemed to swallow. Her husband seemed to frown at that. Now he was a bit worried, too.

"Don't worry," George said. "If they say anything, I have your back."

"You're okay with this?" Nichole asked.

"Nick-knack, you know I'm always fine with what you do in life," he winked.

"Don't even…" she glared at Kilnak's small grin.

"What?" George frowned.

"She doesn't like the nickname," Kilnak explained.

"I always called her that! She didn't say anything to me," he said.

"Because I was being nice," she finally admitted. "When you call me that, it makes me think I'm an object on a shelf. I know it's not the case, but…"

"George, you're going to make her sick," Marianne growled and moved to coddle her granddaughter. "Just call her Nikki for now."

"Fine, fine," George sighed. Kilnak could only chuckle.

"Let me see her, too," Edith said. Annie seemed to mildly pout at the lack of attention, but it was only because Nikki was pregnant.

"And who are you?" George asked Michael.

"Ah. I'm Michael. I am the one who helped them get this island, as well as a couple of other ones. Me coming here was a bit of a fluke. But…here I am," he shrugged. At how Missa only hugged him close, it was clearly apparent as to why.

"He's a new family friend," Joel said when he swam up. "Kilnak, I have a few coolers of fish."

"Oh? Okay, I'll help bring them over," Kilnak nodded. Nichole smiled at her husband and watched him swim off. Now she was gossiped over, and the jewelry was finally noticed. She told them about the pearls, and even showed them off carefully.

"Now _that's_ a wedding ring!" Marianne beamed at the sight of the large pearl. "And that necklace is stunning!"

"Thanks," Nichole chuckled.

"I'm still curious about something," Marianne said. "Why didn't Annie join that pageant?"

"Because they only came out here to get to me," Annie frowned. "They weren't my friends at all. They just wanted my money."

"What's this?" George frowned.

"Yeah. I got bullied into doing things for them. It's also why I was…always mean…" she shivered. Tessoo pulled her close to rock her with comfort.

"All fine now," he muttered in her ear. He gave a small, warning glare to change the subject. He even gave a mental hint to them to do just that.

"So, what is there to eat?" Edith said quickly.

"Ever had lionfish?" Lisa grinned.

"Is it good?" George asked. A plate was quickly given for him to sample. "Yeah. I'll take five of these. This is amazing!"

"You'll get too full," Ashley giggled and helped bring up the Styrofoam crates of other foods.

"Bobby's Boss gave over the shrimp," Joel muttered to Kilnak when they were at the boat.

"Really?" Kilnak frowned. "Well, since it's here, it won't go to waste. I'll talk to Tessoo."

"May want to," Joel nodded. Kilnak brought the crate over to the island to set it down. Then he whispered to his brother.

"_Hmm. The food is okay. He is trying to be good to us. We are being good to him, so it is fine. For now, from what I feel,_" Tessoo said mildly.

"_For now?_" Kilnak asked in warning.

"_Yes. For now. Until he wants more. He will always want more,_" Tessoo muttered.

"_Any way to tell when this will be?_" Kep asked when he swam over.

"_Let me think,_" Tessoo thought aloud and focused a bit more. "_Kilnak, when Bobby calls again, let him know that the food was good. That all is good. Also, ask about the one that came here that we sent back. Oh! Elder, you must go out by the device. We have a visitor._"

"_Do we?_" Kep frowned and was quick to swim out. When he reached Little Star, he paused with shock at the massive creature that was staring back at him with a purpose. It was larger than three school buses. It weighed almost two hundred tons. He was staring, with complete and utter surprise, at a female. And it wasn't just any female. It was a very old female blue whale.


	27. Chapter 27

The elderly female blue whale continued to watch Kep with keen interest. It was rare for any kind of whale to take interest in the Merfolk like this. They traveled with the Merfolk before, but in ways for food and protection, usually. This one had sought out Kep directly. And Kep was quite aware that she was in, what was considered for her, somewhat shallow waters with not much food.

"_The gap…is bridged…?_" she asked in her deep rumbles.

"_Yes. A new birth will happen soon,_" Kep confirmed. He swam close to look right into her large eye. He could easily see his own reflection there. Her eye easily dwarfed over half his form as she studied him. He swam close only to let her see him better. He didn't know what her sight was like in the waters around them, and he wanted to keep her calm. She did move close to accept his touch of respect on her giant snout. It showed that she acknowledged him in full and meant no harm.

"_I wish…to see…them…_"

"_That would be difficult. The offspring may need to be birthed above the water. And that is still some time off. It has only just started to develop. Ah…as honored as I am by your visit, why have you come? Have you eaten?_"

"_I am…well…_" she said with a touch of amusement. "_Others…have made…a bridge…? It was…spoken of…by many…_"

"_Yes. And more offspring may happen from this._"

"_Good…! I wish…to see…the original…bridge…now…_" she seemed to command mildly. In the ocean, her immense kind were to be respected at all times. And, due to her age, she was considered a Prime Matriarch of the sea. She demanded respect, and Kep had to grant her wish.

"_It can be hard. I can bring Kilnak easily. His mate cannot swim like him,_" Kep started to explain, but she let out an air bubble of understanding.

"_Bring them…so I…can see…_" she said again. He nodded and swam back to the temporary island swiftly. When he emerged, he went straight over to Kilnak.

"_A Prime Matriarch has arrived!_" Kep said with a tinge of excitement. Kilnak stared at him with shock. Tessoo was only chuckling softly with a small grin. "_She wants to see you and Nikki!_"

"What?!" Kilnak gaped. Now he looked at Nichole. "Ah, Nikki…we need to go somewhere. Now. We can't delay."

"What's up?" she asked. Everyone there was curious. She looked over at Tessoo to see him nodding with the same grin on his face. That right there told her that something was definitely happening.

"Joel, where's the ocean guidebook? For the fish and marine species all over the world?" Kilnak said. The book was retrieved quickly. He dried his hands and flipped the pages to find the blue whale. "This, ah, blue whale. She wants to meet you. I mean us. I'm just…very surprised…"

"What?!" Nichole gaped. Now the others were gasping with surprise. Tessoo was only laughing softly to himself on everything.

"She is very old," Kep said. "She came here specifically to meet you and Kilnak. We must go now before she comes closer. We don't want that."

"No, we don't. Go on, Nikki," Joel nodded. The dolphins were clearly excited now.

"It fine. All good. Go," Tessoo smiled and nodded as he held Annie.

"What is a blue whale doing out here?" Lisa frowned. "Aren't they way off course around here?"

"This one wanted to meet Nikki and I. There's a reason she came all the way here. Hold onto me," Kilnak said to his wife. "We don't want her to become stranded around us."

"Okay," Nichole nodded and moved into the water to cling to his back. Before anyone else could ask any questions, he was quickly diving with her and swimming out to the open waters. His pod of dolphin companions escorted him neatly with her, and they led him to where the blue whale was patiently waiting. Kep arrived shortly after, and the three of them floated on the surface. The large, elderly female let herself lift to break the water gently. It was to let Nichole see her better, and so she could get a breath of fresh air, too.

"_Come…closer…_" she rumbled. Kilnak swallowed and did just that with Nichole. He placed a webbed hand on the massive snout and had her do the same. It was a sign of complete respect. Nichole's heart was racing. She was touching one of the rarest creatures in the ocean. She was speechless. The skin was warm, slick and it quivered with an electrifying feel of life.

"_Great Matriarch, why have you come?_" Kilnak asked respectfully.

"_Changes…are happening…_" she said in a soft rumble. "_Others…of my…kind…will come…_"

"_Why would they come?_" Kep asked.

"_Keep safe…_" she said calmly. "_This bridge…is too…important…_"

"_Must keep bridge safe!_" the Elder dolphin clicked with agreement as she circled calmly from below. "_Always keep safe._"

"_But…your food supply…_" Kilnak seemed to worry.

"_Food moves…closer…than you…think…_" the blue whale seemed to chuckle. "_I have…seen…lots of…different…changes. Some good. Some bad. This bridge…is good. It helps…to protect…all…of us…as a…whole…_"

"_We are aware of that,_" Kep nodded. "_We are trying to make safe places._"

"What's going on?" Nichole whispered.

"She is telling us that more of her kind will be swimming around us," Kilnak said. "I…honestly don't know what to make of this…"

"Okay. Tell her this for me," Nichole said. "I am grateful that you are showing interest in me and my new family. There are others around us that are not as grateful and could see you as a threat. But, your kind is very special to us, too. Many of us want to protect you. So, if we think about it, the more of your kind that appear, the less anyone can try to hurt my family."

"What are you getting at?" Kilnak asked after he translated. The blue whale was now thinking on what she was told. She seemed highly amused at this knowledge.

"The researchers," Nichole smiled. "Think about it. They won't let the whales get hurt…"

Now his eyes widened with complete understanding. _The whales could help their islands become completely untouchable as endangered wildlife habitats!_ Then he thought aloud, "They eat a ton of food. She said the food was shifting. As in, some of it was starting to drift around here. Likely from the sunlight and warmer weather. Her kind goes where the food goes."

"I think I saw something online that they ate krill. We can see it as swarms of red clouds under the water. Was there krill starting to appear here? They look like tiny red shrimp," Nichole said.

"Come to think of it, I think I did see a strand of that food," Kep said thoughtfully. "Too tiny for us unless we eat a lot of it, but yes, that food is starting to appear around us."

"If those researchers learn that blue whales are going to turn this place into a feeding ground, Bobby will not be able to hunt for coral around here anymore," Nichole smirked. "And if blue whales start to show up, other whales that eat krill may show up, too."

"He won't like that," Kilnak grinned.

"_What…do they…say…?_" the blue whale asked. Kep now carefully explained what was going on. The massive female thought over it all. "_Are these…Land Dwellers…around now…?_"

"_I don't think they are,_" Kep said.

"_Can you…bring them…here…?_" the blue whale asked with a complete hint of amusement now.

"Nikki," Kilnak grinned wickedly. "She wants to see the researchers."

"Why?" Nichole asked.

"Probably to help cement the fact that she's here," he grinned a bit more.

"I will inform Joe," Kep nodded and swam off quickly.

"_Stay…_" the blue whale said to Kilnak when he moved to leave with Nichole. "_Swim…_"

"_I can swim with you, but only close to the surface. My mate cannot swim as well as us,_" Kilnak said. The elder female understood and carefully pulled herself around to swim for deeper waters.

"What are we doing?" Nikki asked.

"Ever wanted to swim with a blue whale?" he grinned warmly at her. Her jaw dropped. The Prime Matriarch moved slowly with a fluid grace just beneath the waves. She allowed Nichole to lightly grasp her back fluke to ride with her, and Kilnak kept pace easily. She now took them to where the new hot spot for krill was swarming. It was only two miles south of the islands they owned. The water was much deeper here, too, and easily supported her.

"_Let me…feed…_" she said, and Kilnak gently pulled Nichole away from the fluke.

"She has to eat," he said when he floated in the water with her. "Ah…wow…"

"Huh?" Nichole asked. Then she looked into the water. Red krill shrimp. It was all around them. He carefully moved her out of the swarm for safety, and he was quick to dunk his hand into the water to chew on a couple mouthfuls of the shrimp to tide him over. He knew she couldn't really risk eating it raw, but he needed to refuel a bit. "You know, some places see this as a delicacy. They even dry it out to give to aquarium owners for fish food, too."

"Do they? Hmm. As long as the sun is right, then the krill can appear in incredible numbers," he mused at this. He did see her jaw drop at the sight of the blue whale breaching slightly with her large mouth open to take in a good three tons of krill. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said softly. "I'm just…amazed. Really. So many people would give so much just to see something like this. You know? Hmm. I think…I just came up with a tourist attraction…"

"You mean…to let people watch the blue whales…?"

"Up close and personal…"

"And…to swim with them…"

"Are you on the same page as me?" she grinned.

"Yes. I totally am. I'll talk to her when she comes back to see us," Kilnak grinned back.

"And with dolphins swimming with them…"

"Yeah. Let's talk to Joel, too," he found himself laughing and shaking his head.

"We could turn our personal island into the main tourist depot," she thought. "But…no. Not our main island. Or the treasure island. Now, maybe the temporary island…"

"No. Not that one, either. It would have to be a completely new island out of the way," he said. "We have to keep our islands safe from others. And I wouldn't have any of your family get in the way of it, either. We can hire someone to work for us."

"Or we have Tina do it," Nichole said. "She's worked jobs like that before."

"No. Her husband would worry over her safety. She'd be interacting with a lot of people."

"We do have things like bullet-proof glass and security systems," she reminded him. "And, if this is happening on a small island where the only way off is by boat…"

"Okay. Maybe have an emergency escape route under the floor of the small building. I get you," he nodded. "We'll plan it out."

"We can offer VIP season passes, too. Special wait-free boats and such. It could work," she chuckled. "We'll have the fish market and a tourist attraction."

"And with Bobby's Boss possibly taking home a small margin of percentage, we _know_ he wouldn't want to miss out on this opportunity," Kilnak seemed to nod to himself. "He wouldn't even think about treasure if he had a constant flow of cash coming in."

"I think this is why Tessoo was grinning," Nichole said.

"You saw him grinning?!" Kilnak asked with surprise.

"Yes. And he was laughing," she said, as she recalled what he did.

"He knew. _He knew!_ He knew this was going to happen! And he didn't…!" Kilnak seemed to hiss and sigh with a shake of his head. "This is why he said that everything was going to be fine. That we shouldn't worry about anything. I can't believe him."

"He would know best. So, we'll go with it. Don't worry," she soothed and let him squeeze her to him. "Love Kilnak."

"Love Nikki," he murmured and kissed her passionately. Then he found himself chuckling at how she started to brush off stray krill from tickling her skin. "I should put some in your hair to give me a reason to run my hands through it. Maybe in your bikini, too…"

"Don't you even!" she said with a small glare to get him grinning. At the sight of the dolphins appearing to take in small swallows of the nourishing krill, they were leading over the researcher boat. She didn't realize that so much time had passed. But, how can one keep track of time when swimming with whales and having so much fun?

"We're hiding," Kilnak growled.

"How?" she frowned. Then the dolphin pod rose up to distract the boat.

"I'm here!" Kep said when he swam over. "They brought me here."

"Good," Kilnak nodded. They saw, from their distance, how the researchers were taking up samples of water with krill. Then the humans paused with complete shock at the sight of the elderly blue whale leaping from the water to take in a massive mouthful of food. Their attention was redirected to another spout of air being taken by another blue whale that was a touch younger in years. There were at least five blue whales around them of various age groups. The Prime Matriarch let out a call that food was found. It was eagerly answered. And more whales were coming in.

"Should we approach them now?" Nichole asked.

"I think we should," Kilnak nodded. When they reached the boat, one of the whales came up under them as though to gently lift them both into the air in a sitting position. The effect was dramatic, graceful and shocking to the humans. Kilnak almost slid down, but Nichole caught him up to support him. He was able to balance himself now with her help.

"Unexpected," she muttered under her breath.

"Very," he agreed. He was also still in possession of his trident. When he pulled it off his back to help with his balance, he actually did resemble a form of Poseidon. Nichole had to swallow down her laugh at how the men stared at him with shock.

"Oh…" Clark gaped at him.

"If you want to visit them, then it's fine. They are not truly around my islands, but remember this. Do not use them as a means to reach my islands," Kilnak warned the small group. "They will tell me if you do anything wrong."

"You can talk to them?!" Brent gaped.

"_Stupid?_" Kilnak's companion squeaked.

"_You can say that,_" Kilnak grinned and responded easily. When the whale beneath them sunk back down, another whale was quick to take its place. "_Why are you doing this?_"

"_You…are…bridge…_" the whale responded calmly. Kilnak only sighed, but he was laughing, too. The small boat suddenly rocked when a whale made a purposeful pass under it to let a wave smack into the side. If it lifted itself up, the boat would have toppled over.

"_I wish to speak with you,_" Kilnak said to the Prime Matriarch when she appeared.

"_Speak…_" she said and slapped a fin on the water.

"_Many Land Dwellers would do much to see you. Even help in keeping us safe and you safe. If we let them visit and swim with you, it would strengthen our bridge. What do you think?_" Kilnak asked. Kep was now very impressed at this idea. The elderly blue whale soon dove under the water and sent out a call. The response was unanimous. She rose up from the depths of the ocean and tilted her head to purposely spray out her breath right at the boat to cover the humans from head to toe with whale snot. Nichole died laughing with Kilnak. Kep was calmly holding in his laughter for now.

"_We want…this…to happen…_" she rumbled. "_You have…our approval…_"

"_I will let them know,_" Kep nodded and regarded the researchers. "This blue whale is very old and very wise. She has agreed to allow other humans to swim with her and the ones here. But, there have to be some rules. We need to talk to Joe first to establish them."

"The whales will swim with us?!" Gregory gaped. "I…"

"And study them?!" Clark was just as shocked.

"Yes. We have thought of using this as a form of an attraction for tourists. If you respect our wishes, we'll give you guys a small cut of the funds. If it takes off," Kilnak said.

"We'll do it," Gregory nodded. "We'd be morons if we didn't."

"At least you admit that," Kilnak mused. "We'll need to contact Bobby, too, to help us cement a few things. It will help with conservation."

"Let's do it," Clark nodded. Brent and Richard were already making plans on what to expect.

"Should we get my Dad here?" Nichole asked. "I mean, my Grandparents are all at the island, too. I'm not sure what to expect."

"_May we go back to the surface where my mate's pod is?_" Kilnak asked.

"_Yes…but…we will…be close…_" the elderly female said. There were already two smaller blue whales ready to follow them around. Kilnak smiled at Nichole. Already, plans were being mentally developed. Now it was just a matter of talking to the right people to let them happen. Bobby would easily help with this, too. It simply was too good to pass up.

His hunch was correct when the offer was brought up. Michael was now on his phone talking to several people that he knew of. Joel was talking to Bobby. Lisa, Annie, Josh and Doug were now being taken around the island with blue whale swims. Even the older folks were able to have small sessions with both dolphins and whales. The elderly female blue whale was testing how this was going to work. She was very pleased, and even commented to Kep on how this could even help.

There was even more commotion at the construction site on the main island when a blue whale breached and splashed several workers in play. For five full minutes, they stood in full shock and awe at what they were looking at. Then Joel showed up to grant them all a possible one season pass to the future attraction if all of the construction could be finished within four to six months. They went back to work.

"Maybe now we'll finally see some improvement," Kilnak grinned. He was watching them from a safe distance with Nichole. Several dolphins were swimming around them protectively before leading them back to the temporary island.

"We'll need to get another island for tourists," Nichole said.

"Michael was working on that," he chuckled.

"Good to know," she beamed. Then he paused in his swimming to gaze at her. They were in the middle of the ocean again. The dolphins were swimming around them. A completely nostalgic feeling hit her when he rose up his hand to press against her own to study it.

"_My mate…_" he murmured softly. Then Nichole smiled and took in a shaky breath.

"_Hello…my mate…_" she said in his language. He froze up in complete surprise. She had been secretly trying to perfect the talk. Now he pulled her close and kissed her.


	28. Chapter 28

The main island was completed in six months. The island for tourism was claimed and established rather quickly. It was a huge success. Who wouldn't want to swim with blue whales or dolphins? When the krill began to dissipate, the whales had to leave, but they would return when the weather conditions were right again. This would be the off time for the new business. There were already reservations being booked solid for the moment the whales returned. The mainland government was already benefiting from the tourism, and they approved everything the moment they saw things happening for themselves. The researchers also had a hand in that.

"What do you think of everything?" Nichole asked from where she stood in the finished kitchen. The place had been tiled with blue marble, marble counters and water-resistant wood cabinets. Each piece of wood was specially treated to withstand Kilnak's usual need for humidity. The rooms were also dug down far enough into the island that she could easily stand and walk around with ease. Several rooms were made into the rounded design they liked with the water tunnels running under the floors with steel pipes. Kilnak had himself resting in a small pool as he watched her cook. The ledges of the pool were made of synthetic, water-proof leather for comfort, and he was resting his arms over them.

"It's interesting, really," he admitted. "Right after the whales showed up, everything sort of…fast forwarded for us. Didn't it?"

"Yeah. It was monotonous for a while," she smiled. Her belly was clearly showing her condition now, and he gestured for her to get into the warm water with him. As much as they wanted pool water to work, they had to stick with ocean water for the fish tanks. Kilnak just took the extra measure to lightly scrub the tunnels clean to keep minuscule things from growing on the steel. "I'm surprised they were able to make the tunnels. I was a bit concerned over that."

"I know it," he nodded. "But, it turned out well in the end. Now they're working on that place on land for the others. The estate, I think it's called."

"That's it," she nodded. "I'm also surprised that Michael got the alarm system to work!"

"That was interesting to put in place," he grinned and kissed her. He laughed at the small movement he felt from her belly. "I am a bit concerned with the ultra sounds that Rick did."

"I know," she nodded.

"I'm concerned for Kina, too," he frowned. "Everyone is concerned."

"I'm surprised Lisa got pregnant five months ago," Annie grinned a bit widely.

"That was bound to happen. Lotisoo wouldn't leave her alone!" he snorted. They both laughed after that and sighed. "Then there's Tina. It was an awkward moment when she called her parents up to tell them she had eloped."

"They wanted to fly out first thing, didn't they?"

"That they did. Then I talked to them and told them where she was living. They opted to wait for the estate to be built," he chuckled. "They didn't appear to be the islander type."

"I know it," she said and kissed him. The kiss began to deepen, but the phone rang. He sighed and reached over to slap his hand on a small water-proof panel on the side of the pool.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Hey!" Joel said over the phone system. "I wanted to let you know that I'll be dropping by in a bit. I have some paperwork to go over with you and Nichole."

"Okay," Kilnak said and punched a few buttons that were under a water-proofed sheet of plastic. "When Little Star appears, the signal will let her in. We'll see you soon."

"Amazing how all of this works now," Nichole chuckled after the call ended.

"It took a while for them to get the gates to work. We had to hardwire a signal to the ocean floor with cable lines when wireless didn't work."

"It is so funny to watch you talk technical!" she laughed.

"I'm in shock at how quickly you picked up my language," he smiled.

"_I know,_" she smiled warmly and they kissed again.

"I still find what you first said to be the best thing you ever said," he snickered. Then his mind went numb when she whispered it. "That…is not fair…"

"Just shows that I win," she chuckled and kissed him senselessly before moving from the pool. She was trying out a new fish recipe that Annie had sent her, and she opened up a side freezer to pull out a bag of prepared lionfish. Separating a few of the filets, she saw Kilnak gesturing for one. She sighed and handed him one to let him chew on it. "I could cook that."

"Nah!" he grinned and dunked it in the water to help thaw it a bit more. "Oh. Can you hand me a crab, too? Grandfather told me I need to try and steer away from your basic foods for now."

"Right. You had a gut explosion?" she chuckled. "It was the pizza?"

"Quiet," he warned at her wry smile. "When my body is stabilized again, I'll want more of it."

She laughed at him and fished out a live crab from a specialized fish tank built into the floor. Kilnak preferred to keep track of the living foods with their water being screened with his own way to carefully monitor the water flow. It was just getting the fish out of the tanks that he always encountered a problem. They tried to cut slits into the tank, and even use a screen door, but the fish always managed to swim out from how fast they were. Other methods were being tested to keep the fish in when the tank was being cleaned, but for now it was Nichole that had to work from the top of the tank.

"We should build the tanks around your pools," she sighed and fished out the crab he needed.

"No. The structure would be too weak to support you walking on it. We'll figure something out," he chuckled and took the crab to bite down on. She picked up a few to steam with the lionfish, and she moved to relax in the pool with him.

"I still wonder…" she mused in his arms. "What would have happened if I just…went to school? Never bothered with coming out here…"

"Shut up," he muttered and squeezed her. When she felt him tremble, she turned in his arms to kiss him lovingly. "I don't want to think about that. You shouldn't either."

"I know that," she said and ran her hands over his shoulders. "It's just thoughts that tend to pop up. Kinda hard to ignore."

"Tell me about it," he muttered and began to succumb to the massage. "Just don't think of that anymore. Okay? Thoughts like that just…"

"I know," she smiled and ran her hands over his broad shoulders. He had definitely filled out intensely over the past few months. And, because he filled out more, his sonic roar was even more devastating from the stamina he built up. He actually shattered several underwater rocks from the shockwaves alone. He was even experimenting with changing the pitch in his tones, too. The variations in sound could easily deafen a human for a whole day.

When the alarm sounded to show that Little Star was near the gate, he sent out the signal to let the yacht into the inner area. The signal buzzed out in a serious of low beeps for the dolphins to hear. They were able to pull apart various strands of seaweed to keep the motor cleared for entry. Joel was able to dock the yacht and walk into the small free-standing house on the beach. True to form, it resembled a small cottage. It was actually where he was living for now.

He walked into the bathroom and pushed on a panel. Kilnak made it so that the panels would change every ten minutes on which one needed to be pressed on. If the wrong one was pressed, it would switch to another panel. Joel was able to tell which one was current by the ring he wore. It vibrated from the hidden signal in the wall. Only he, and other close family members, would gain access to such high-tech jewelry for quick access to safety.

"Dad!" Nichole beamed and got hugged. He had a suitcase with him, and they both sat down at a floor table. It was much like what the Japanese residents had, but it was done so that Kilnak could join them from his pool. Joel took out the papers and had her look at them.

"This is for the new island purchase," Joel said. "Yes, Kilnak, we got that island Kep found. The one about five minutes out for you."

"Awesome!" Kilnak grinned. "Oh. Josh and Doug said that they were going to look for that hidden cave here. Did they find it?"

"They did," Joel grinned back. "They need expedition gear to get into it, though. It's very dark."

"Hmm. It was located off to the side of the island from the interior, right?" he asked.

"Yep. They did find those old weapons, though. The old sword and a couple of daggers. The museum curators out here were impressed," Joel smiled. "Those items needed to go into the museum."

"And they loved the pieces of treasure we did donate," Nichole giggled.

"As much as we could have sold them off, sometimes it's good to just…share it this way," Kilnak nodded. "What did we donate? A few coins? Jewelry?"

"Those and a couple cups," Joel nodded. "When Bobby questioned it, I pointed out that some of it needed to be shared with the public to keep a good face on. He couldn't argue with it."

"And we let him donate a few pieces to keep himself in good standing, too," Kilnak grinned. "Ashley is still sending things out?"

"Yeah. I'm glad you helped front the costs for a storage unit. We made a very tidy profit from the blue whale attractions. The dolphins are out here year round, but it's those whales that really did it," Joel chuckled. "We made…what? An extra fifty million?"

"We did," Kilnak nodded. "And that was put towards the new island purchase. We also put in renovation funds for the hotel Nikki first stayed at. They needed a new wing."

"And the owner to that hotel contacted me, personally, to thank me. We got lifetime half off discounts for it," Joel nodded. "We even helped the scuba school with new equipment and got the same deal. It will definitely help us out when it comes to excavation with you."

"That it will. But, well…what's the main plan now? Just some downtime to build and gather up our resources?" Kilnak asked.

"In a sense, it's all we can do. Unless your pod found something of interest, that's all we got for now. I was transferred out. Rick was, too. Even Michael and the others are still out here in full, as you know. They're sort of living on that second island still, but we got better housing there now. Didn't we clear away some of the beach, too?"

"We did!" Kilnak chuckled. "That helped with the living space."

"Very true," Nichole nodded. Then she rose up and checked on the cooking fish. "Well, Dad, since you're here, you can join us for lunch."

"Good!" Joel laughed softly and was served up some grilled lionfish. As they ate, Bobby was busy going over the income amounts with a higher up over the phone. They were very pleased with the new profits that were being turned out.

"If this keeps up, there won't be any need for more fronts," the man on the speakerphone said. "We could even lose any form of illegal activity to get the cops and feds off our radar."

"That's what I was hoping to hear, Mr. Valentino," Bobby chuckled. "We gained an extra five million from the tourism alone in one month."

"It's a nice piece of the pie. We only need to spend a marginal amount for advertising. We made it back very quickly," he agreed. "Do you think we can work in a one percent margin per year? Or would that be asking for too much?"

"To me, thirty-five should be reasonable," Bobby said wisely. "If we ask for more, they may gain second thoughts about us. Let's stick with what we have. But, I can ask. It doesn't hurt to ask."

"Good! I'll let the Boss know," he said. "It was his idea."

"I'll definitely ask," Bobby chuckled. "Oh! You can let him know that the breeding of peppermint angelfish is already taking form! He'll get two of them the moment they are ready."

"Really?! That will definitely make him happy!" he laughed. "He may even let go of the question for more funding. These guys have been very fair to us. I want to keep it that way, too."

"Good. What do you think of what Brandon said?" Bobby asked seriously.

"Do you want my honest opinion?" the powerful man asked in a dangerous way.

"You know I do," Bobby said.

"We have a list of the men that were given information. I say we send in our guys and take them all out. We even have addresses. This is the most we've ever had before."

"What about any women or children?"

"Casualty of war, as they say. However, if we have our men target as good as they can in the practice range, all of that could be avoided."

"We want to avoid that. Cases with innocents cost more in the law perspective of things."

"You do have a point."

"I know," Bobby agreed.

"I have been wondering…" he said. "If we could sort of…recruit your contacts to help…"

"No," Bobby said sternly. "We have to leave them out of this."

"The Boss was thinking that if they help us, then we could take out small parts of their cut as compensation. If they are really as good in the water as we know…"

"Alexandros," Bobby said in a milder way to show respect. "I made a promise to them that I would not involve them with our affairs. They are helping us with funding. Unless they are under threat, there is no need for them to attack anyone. If they are discovered, we lose what we are making."

"So…they have to be under threat?" he mused. Then there was a pause on the line. He cleared his throat and said, "In a way, we don't want to lose any money. If we do, then the Boss won't be pleased. He's getting rare fish out of this, too."

"Don't we all know?" Bobby chuckled. The call disconnected after that. Another call was soon on Bobby's line and it was answered. "Hello?"

"Bobby," the casual, neutral tone was given.

"Hello, Boss," he said. At the soft chuckle given, Bobby was completely at ease. He wasn't in trouble, but he figured that someone else was. The next thing said would prove him correct.

"I was listening in to what was being discussed. Please ignore what Alex said about recruiting the treasure hunters. Even with asking with a percentage. It wasn't my idea. Just for him even thinking that way about me, I may no longer have need of his services. And saying that women and children are casualties of war? That does not please me, either. However, should I have no more need of him, I have been thinking. I would want you to take over what he leaves behind. I sort of…oh…want to leave the drug life behind entirely. A part of me may want to go back, but that's what other factions are for. I need to have some form of legal business to show I'm for the people, in a sense. What do you think of this?"

"I would be honored to take over," Bobby said easily. "But…why the change?"

"Alex has been over-stepping his boundaries. He thinks I don't know this, but I do. He even thought of trying to force himself into your shoes at one point! And, in truth, I like working with you better than him. He's only been under me for two years. I've known you for five. What's even more is that, well…you never ask me for favors. I admire that in a man. I really do."

"Thank you. Oh! I should let you know. You'll be getting two peppers soon. The breeding has been successful! The reef you found for the breeders has definitely helped."

"Good. I'll make room in my aquarium. I may give Alex one last chance to redeem himself. He does have his qualities, but if he makes one more wrong move…"

"I'll keep my schedule open to take your call," Bobby said. The man laughed softly with understanding and disconnected after that. This was a big surprise to Bobby. If Alexandros was removed, then Bobby would be working directly under the Boss. Of course, it could be a downhill, too. His calls would be monitored. Now he paused with recollection. He called Joel.

"Hello?" Joel asked.

"Is Tessoo there, by chance?" Bobby asked.

"Nope. Why?"

"I need him to sense something."

"Nikki, call Annie," Kilnak said.

"Wait. I can conference," Joel said and did that. Then the lines were sent to the speaker next to the pool. When Annie's voice came on, Joel said, "Put Tessoo on."

"Okay," she said. She was out of schooling for now and was enjoying the down time, too. Tessoo's speech was now as flawless as Kilnak's was. He also sounded just as smooth, too.

"What is…?" Tessoo started. Then he said, "Bobby. If you accept it, you have to be careful."

"You sensed it already?" Bobby frowned.

"Yeah. This man is ruthless. He may sound nice now, but if things don't go his way…"

"What's going on?" Kilnak asked.

"My Boss was thinking of removing his right hand man. And putting me in his place," Bobby said. "I'll be monitored through almost everything I do."

"It's a way to get close to us," Nichole frowned.

"Yeah, your higher up is nasty and fighting off things. But this main guy is just…" Tessoo sighed. "If you try to split from them, they'll only hunt you down."

"I'm well aware of it," Bobby said. "And my family would be in danger, too."

"At the same time, you could hold some minor influence," Tessoo thought aloud. "With me helping in guiding various actions, we could make this work for us. He can think he's in control…"

"Tessoo, would you really label yourself as a mob boss?" Nichole giggled.

"Not really. But, if I can get in their heads, I can make them stop what they want to do when it comes to us. Much like how I stopped Mitchell and Anna-Marie from wanting to try to find out where we actually lived when they came out to see the blue whales," Tessoo smirked.

"When you told me they were thinking of exploring, I almost died!" Annie grimaced.

"I know. I simply let Anna-Marie think that her skin was going to blister in the hot sun," Tessoo snickered. That got them all laughing.

"Well, they are set to be married next year. I'm even buying them a house in the mainland on US soil to keep them away from us," Bobby said.

"If you need help…" Kilnak hinted.

"I got this one," Bobby chuckled. As they continued to talk about future housing prospects, Tessoo let his thoughts go to the main man at the top. He sent a small vibe to get rid of Alexandros. That he wasn't needed. But, he also sent another vibe. And he did this with a set of narrowed eyes.

_:If you blackmail Bobby, you will regret your decision.:_

That single thought would stand out through the man's thoughts for the rest of the day.


	29. Chapter 29

Nearly four months passed when Nichole went into labor. Rick was at her side to help deliver the baby. Joel had to be there to support his daughter, too. The dolphins were excited and even swam through the underground house. Various Merfolk pods were stationed nearby, too. It was as though the entire ocean was waiting for this exact moment to come to pass at long last. As much as Kilnak was eager to see his offspring, he was also very worried.

"We don't know anything yet," Joel said calmly. "Kina is due soon, too, so we won't know how her baby will turn out."

"I know," Kilnak sighed. Then he blinked at the phone panel going off. He answered it, "Hello? This is Kilnak talking."

"It's Kina!" Josh said. "She's in labor!"

"What?!" Kilnak asked with shock. "Take her to my Grandfather! He can help her!"

"And what about the baby?" he asked.

"We'll tend to it after she gives birth. Take her to Kep!" Joel said quickly. "What are the odds of timing?! Damn…"

"Dad…" Nichole winced and gasped at another contraction that hit her. "They're…getting closer…! How long…was I in…?"

"You started an hour ago," Kilnak soothed and supported her head. She already gave out the birth water. That was drained easily drained away. As much as Kilnak would want her to be in the water, Joel advised against it for now. It would be done for cleaning her up. At another contraction, she gasped out and shouted again from how intense this one was.

"She's crowning," Rick said. "Okay, Nikki. Start pushing for me!"

"Not much longer," Kilnak muttered in her ear. She cried out again as she pushed, and, after ten minutes, the baby was finally birthed. "A girl. It's a girl, Nikki!"

"How do you know?" Rick asked and took up the flailing newborn to clean her. Her legs were fused together to show she gained Kilnak's tail. She had a bit of hair on her head to show it was blond. She was practically hairless everywhere else, but her skin was a bit greyer in tone from the pigmentation. Rick did a very careful ultrasound of the tail. He saw where the split was there for legs. The skin was fully fused over, though. The feet looked malformed to show she would have a little trouble swimming, but that could be fixed with a prosthetic fin, if needed. She had a rather proper slit that was required of his people, so she didn't need any form of surgery help.

"I just do," Kilnak chuckled. "Hmm. Will she have a diaper? Usually, we just swim with our young, but around here…"

"We can fashion something. Maybe," Joel sighed. "I'm not sure. She seems to be a water baby, though. Her skin kinda feels like yours."

"Okay. We'll see what happens. We did make a crib for something like this, right?" Kilnak asked. "Nikki? How are you feeling?"

"Tired…" she whispered and sighed. He nodded and helped her sit up carefully. Their daughter was given back to them, and she opened her eyes to reveal the same large, blue eyes that Kilnak had. They both chuckled softly. They looked over when a weary Kina was appearing with Kep. Josh came in the way Joel and Rick did from above.

"Okay, it looks like you have a boy!" Rick smiled and took up the newborn. "And this one has legs. Ah. The feet look like fins. Hair is blond, eyes are greenish blue…"

"It looks like his slit is halfway exposing everything. That could look awkward. He could pass off as a normal human, though. We can surgically fix the slit up to look more like we would normally see. And we can fix his rectum, too," Joel said as he studied the small body.

"Can we do that later?" Kina asked with a frown. "I mean…it's okay if he gets fixed to look more like Josh, but…"

"I know. We can let him grow for a week and see what happens. Sometimes, not often, but there are times that things simply work out," Rick smiled and gave her son back to her. Kilnak chuckled and let Kina see his daughter. She was smiling at him now.

"We have a baby," Kilnak murmured to Nichole and kissed her.

"Yeah," she smiled back and rested against him.

"I'll let you rest for two months. Then we'll try for another one," he grinned.

"What?" she blinked at him. That got him laughing at her. At the sounds of the dolphins getting excited when they swam through the tunnels, he knew he had to show them his new daughter. It was the same with the Merfolk pods outside.

"I need to show off our baby. I'll bring her back," he promised. "Your protector will be with me. The sooner they see her, the sooner I can get back to you with her."

"Okay," she nodded. He kissed her again and carefully took her up. "What do we name her?"

"Oh. We do need to name her, don't we?" he thought. "Hmm…"

"Narissa would be a good name," Rick suggested. They looked at each other and smiled.

"Narissa will work," Kilnak chuckled.

"And us?" Kina smiled as she nursed her son.

"Ossik," Kilnak chuckled.

"Ah!" she beamed.

"What does that mean?" Nichole asked.

"Ah…" Kilnak mused. "To translate that, it would mean…warrior. Like a type of fighter."

"That does work," Josh grinned. "We can call him Ossi around other people."

"That can easily work," Joel nodded. Kilnak took in a deep breath and was quick to dive down the tunnels with his daughter. The dolphins knew that he couldn't dive deep right now, and they were quick to escort him. When the Elder dolphins saw the newborn, they got very excited. The Merfolk pods tried to get close to see, but Kilnak's glare let them know that he was incredibly protective of his daughter now. In the end, the dolphins had them all leave with small promises that better greetings would be done. It would have to be the same way they saw Nikki. Short groups with a very limited time to see the baby. The line would start forming the moment word was spread that it was allowed.

"_Bridge is made!_" the leader of his dolphin pod squealed happily. She circled them both and surfaced with them to let the little one get some air. "_So happy!_"

"_Happy! So happy to see!_" his companion squeaked and leapt over him playfully. More and more dolphins surged forward to see the new one. When she began to cry, he carefully cradled her.

"_I need to take her back to Nikki. She must rest now,_" he said. They all understood this. Then he blinked with surprise at the sight of a dolphin as large as Nikki's protector. This male would guard over the baby at all times. Kilnak was able to swim back swiftly with his daughter to get back to Nichole. He still needed to be close to her, regardless of the new baby. He nuzzled his mate when he reached her, and he noticed that Joel and Rick had left. Kina and Josh had left, too.

"They wanted to let us have some alone time," Nichole smiled.

"Good," Kilnak chuckled and kissed her gently.

"Love Kilnak," she whispered.

"Love Nikki," he said with a loving nuzzle to her neck.

"And think of this. She's now a mermaid that we'd be used to seeing from the hair!" she giggled.

"It won't happen. She will never have scales," he muttered. "Shells will be fine. But no scales."

"What if she decides to do something about that to troll people?" she grinned.

"I will forbid her to do that," he growled and grinned back. "I'll call that putting on makeup."

"Are you serious?!" she asked him with an incredulous look.

"Yep!" he grinned and squeezed her. As they continued to bond with their new daughter, Tessoo was going over various thoughts that were hitting him. He was also writing stuff down on a waterproof pad of paper to ensure he kept a log of what he felt. It actually helped to keep a record of certain things.

"Hey," Annie smiled and pressed into his back.

"Hey," he smiled back and turned to hug her.

"What's going on in that mind of yours?" she asked. He pressed a webbed hand to her belly and sighed. She was finally pregnant with his offspring now at a month along.

"Bobby's Boss," he muttered out. "All this time, I've been listening to him. He seems genuine, but then I get a glimpse of something else. Something dark. He's plotting something. Let me call Michael. I need to run an idea by him."

"Okay," she smiled and let him grab her phone. It had a waterproof case on it now, and it helped save time from him having to dry off his hands.

"Michael speaking," the voice on the other side said. He was on the mainland and working with the security features of the new place being built.

"Hey! It's Tessoo," he said.

"You couldn't just project your voice to me?" Michael joked.

"If I did, that's emergency only," Tessoo grinned with a small laugh. "Anyways, I want to run this by you. Can we get some kind of sonar detection? Like how those boats have for fish, but have it track everything else above the water, too?"

"That might be possible! A bit pricey, but we can get a satellite hookup for something. Why do you ask for this?" Michael had to ask.

"Bobby's higher up. That's why."

"Ahh. Hmm. I can see what can be done."

"Good. I've been getting some odd thoughts here and there from him. We know that Alexandros was taken care of. That happened last month when he tried to get in Bobby's way again. We know that Bobby took over the position. And we found that man's body floating in the water in various pieces to be used for fish bait. What we found left over were the parts the fish didn't like."

"Ew," Michael grunted.

"Tell me about it. We did sink the rest of it, though. It was the most we could do to avoid suspicion to us. I'm still very worried over our security measures. We need more defenses. Who knows what they have now? We need air defense. Water is done. But as for air? We need more," Tessoo said seriously. "It's why I'm thinking of radar and sonar."

"I can understand that," Michael said. "I'll see what I can come up with. Give me a couple days, okay? And tell Missa that I didn't forget about her. I'm bringing back some oysters for her."

"I'll tell her that!" Tessoo chuckled and hung up the phone. At another phone call, he answered it. "Hello? Joel! Really?! I wasn't paying much attention, but…what?! Both Nikki and Kina?! Awesome! You know I'm going to want to know how they are. No, no, I won't look in their heads."

"What happened?" Tina asked from where she was.

"They had their babies!" Tessoo grinned even more.

"We'll want to see them!" Lotisoo said from where he was with Lisa. She was just as thrilled. Then she remembered something she wanted to ask.

"Ask if Nikki's boobs grew out yet!" she said. At that bit, Lotisoo tickled her hard.

"He won't comment," Tessoo smirked at her. "Is Ashley coming out soon? Good. I'm sure she'll be just as overjoyed. Oh? You held the phone away from your ear again? Hah!"

"That's Mom all right!" Doug grinned. Sitari was still sleeping a bit away. She was getting rather tired lately. Kep was already suspecting that she would be carrying, too, just from that.

"You know your mom will want to come back out. I'm sure we can set them up in the hotel again. Yes. Okay! Thanks for the news!" Tessoo chuckled and hung up. "I knew something was going on, but I was too focused on what was happening in the mainland. Ah! Josh and Kina are coming here."

"There they are!" Lisa grinned and waved at them when they were seen swimming over. Several dolphins were escorting them, and Josh's son was now admired and doted on.

"Hmm," Tessoo frowned in thought.

"What is it?" Annie asked.

"The old blue whale. She's just been notified. She'll be making her way here to see Kilnak's baby. She has to see her, too. It will take a bit of time, though. We'll have to set up a viewing area in the coming month for the rest of my people to see the new babies, too. They want to see how a crossing between us can work. We'll have to play it safe," he said.

"If they insult my son…" Josh muttered.

"Kilnak will keep that from happening," Tessoo grinned. "And so will I."

"Good," Lisa nodded. Lotisoo was talking to Doug about cradle designs and furniture for the new babies. A new race of intelligence had finally come forth. The only problem now was…how long would it all remain a secret? And there was one other concern. How much longer would it be before the head Boss decided that he was done with waiting and needed to act? Even as Kilnak rested with his family, he was on a high alert. And, as a new father, he would be a force to be reckoned with at all times.

END


End file.
